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rL\0\,<2L>  \ 


77 


m 


I  THE  GENERAL 

t 
f 

\ 

BIOGRAPHICAL   DICTIONARY. 


A  NEW  EDITION. 


VOL.  XXH. 


\ 


«.  \ 


Printed  by  Nichols,  Son,  and  Bbntliy, 
Red  Don  Passage*  Fleet  Street,  London. 


tHE   GENERAL 

BIOGRAPHICAL  DICTIONARY: 

CONTAINING 
AN  HISTORICAL  AND  CRITICAL  ACCOUNT 

or  THE 

LIVES  AND  WRITINGS 

* 
OF  THE 

MOST   EMINENT    PERSONS 

IN   EVERY  NATION; 

* 

PARTICULARLY  THE  BRITISH  AND  IRISH; 
FROM  THE  EARLIEST  ACCOUNTS  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


A  NEW  EDITION, 

REVISED  AND  ENLARGED   BY 

ALEXANDER  CHALMERS,  F.  S.  A. 


VOL.  XXII. 


LONDON: 

PRINTED  FOE  J.  NICHOLS  AND  SON ;  F.  C.  AND  J.  R4VINGTON  ;  T.  PAYNE  ; 
OTBIDGB  AND  SON  ;  O.  AND  W.  NICOL  ;  O.  WILKIB  }  J.  WALKER  ;  R.  LEA  ; 
W.  LOWNDES  J  WHITE,  COCHRANE,  AND  CO.  ;  T.  EGERTON ;  LACKINGTON, 
ALLEN,  AND  CO.;  J.  CARPENTER;  LONGMAN,  HURST,  REES,  ORME,  AND 
BROWN;  CADBLL  AND  DA  VIES;  CLAW;  J.BOOKER;  J.  CUTHELL ;  CLARKE 
AND  SONS;  J.  AND  A.  ARCH  $  J.  HARR18;  BLACK,  PARRY,  AND  CO.;  J.  BOOTH; 
J.  MAWMAN;  GALE,  CURTIS,  AND  FBNNER;  R.  H.  EVANS)  J.  HATCHARD; 
J.  MURRAY;  BALDWIN,  CRADOCK,  AND  JOY;  E.  BENTLEY ;  J.  FAULDBR  ; 
OGLE  AND  CO.;  W.  GINGER;  J.  DEIGHTON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE;  CONSTABLE 
AND   CO.  -EDINBURGH;  AND  WILSON  AND  SON,  YORK. 

1815.         . 


-.say 

j  en- 

.  citizen 

es  io  & 
*  and  th* 

uUivate  ty 
-bU*hed»   ** 

,«  placed  Ik 


J 


k  < 


-   ■  J- 

of 

the 

in- 

dren 

J  the 

jn,  hfe 

ch  was 

evfcnty- 

ence.1 
iidson   of 
is  earliest 

* A  m  was  ear£* 

*  *   ■     ^-       — — -  at  princely 

i  the  title  6JF 

*     ^  ---  ated  poetry* 

*^^     "* "  >us  composi* 

^■■fc*.       ^^  jf  th«  inflrtei* 

s 


immediately 

only  in  his  si** 

visit  the  pridci* 

•al  knowledge  of 

his  father  died* 

heirs  of  his  powet 

succeeded  him  ki 

on  of  Sixtus  IV.  to 

»  other  citizens^  to 

■n vested  with  the  df-> 

.  while  at  Rome  took 

.mains  of  ancient  ark 

e  of  the  first  public 

_  »  helm  of  governmaftt, 

*"  -^._  "  -»  Vrolterra,  on  account  of 

^     "^ l-       ..  "  c es'8 Cyclopedia. 

s;  -   - 


•  i 


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2  MEDICI. 

though  without  any  superiority  of  rank  or  title,  and  his 
conduct  being  marked  by  urbanity  and  generosity  to  all 
ranks,  he  acquired  numerous  and  zealous  partizans.  Such 
was  tbe  influence  of  his  family,  that  while  the  citizens  of 
Florence  fancied  they  lived  under  a  pure  republic,  the  Me- 
dici generally  assumed  to  themselves  the  first  offices  of  the 
state,  or  nominated  such  persons  as  they  esteemed  fit  for 
those  employments.  Cosmo  exerted  this  influence  with 
great  prudence  and  moderation ;  yet,  owing  to  the  discon- 
tent of  the  Florentines,  with  the  bad  success  of  the  war 
against  Lucca,  a  party  arose,  led  on  by  Rinaldo  de'  Albizi, 
which,  in  1433,  after  filling  the  magistracies  with  their 
own  adherents,  seized  the  person  of  Cosmo,  and  committed 
him  to  prison,  and  he  was  afterwards  banished  to  Padua 
for  ten  years,  and  several  other  members  and  friends  pf 
the  Medici  family  underwent  a  similar  punishment.  He 
was  received  with  marked  respect  by  the  Venetian  govern- 
ment, and  topk  up  his  abode  in  the  city  of  Venice.  Witbin 
a  year  of  his  retreat,  Rinaldo  was  himself  obliged  to  quit 
Florence;  and  Cosmo  being  recalled,  he  returned  amidst 
the  acclamations  of  his  fellow-subjects.  Some  victims 
were  offered  to  his  future  security,  and  the  gonfalooiere 
who  had  pronounced  his  sentence,  with  a  few  others  of 
that  party,  were  put  to  death.  Measures  were  now  taken 
to  restrict  the  choice  of  magistrates  to  the  partizans  of  tbe 
Medici,  and  alliances  were  formed  with  the  neighbouring 
powers  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  supporting  and  perpetu- 
ating the  system  by  which  Florence  was  from  that  time  to 
be  governed.  The  manner  in  which  Cosmo  employed  his 
authority,  has  conferred  upon  his  memory  the  greatest 
honour.  From  this  time  his  life  was  an  almost  uninter- 
rupted series  of  prosperity.  The  tranquillity  enjoyed  bv 
the  republic,  and  the  satisfaction  and  peace  of  mind  wbicp 
he  experienced  in  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fel- 
low-citizens, enabled  him  to  indulge  his  natural  propensity 
to  tbe  promotion  of  science,  and  the  patronage  and  en- 
couragement of  learned  men.  The  richest  private  citizen 
in  Europe,  he  surpassed  almost  all  sovereign  princes  in  the 
munificence  with  which  he  patronized  literature  and  th$ 
fine  arts.  4fe  assembled  around  him  some  of  the  niost 
learned  men  of  the  age,  who  had  begun  to  cultivate  the 
Grecian  language  and  philosophy.  He  established,  at 
Florence,  an  academy  expressly  for  the  elucidation  of  the 
Platonic  philosophy,  at  the  head  of  which  he  placed  the 


MEDICI.  5 

celebrated  Marsilius  Ficinus.  He  collected  from  all  p&rts 
by  means  of  foreign  correspondences,  manuscripts  of  the 
Greek,  Latin,  and  Oriental  languages,  which  formed  the 
foundation  of  the  Lauren tian  library ;  nor  was  be  less  libe- 
ral in  the  encouragement  of  the  fine  arts.  During  the  re- 
tirement of  his  latter  days,  his  happiest  hours  were  de- 
voted to  Hie  study  of  letters  and  philosophy,  and  the  con- 
versation of  learned  men.  He  also  endowed  numerous 
religions  houses,  and  built  an  hospital  at  Jerusalem  for  the 
relief  *f  distressed  pilgrims.  While  the  spirit  of  his  go- 
vernment was  moderate,  he  avoided  every  appearance  of 
state  which  might  excite  the  jealousy  or  discontent  of  the 
Florentines  \  and  therefore,  by  way  of  increasing  his  in- 
terest among  them,  restricted  the  marriages  of  his  children 
to  Florentine  families.  By  such  wise  measures,  and  the 
general  urbanity  of  his  behaviour  to  all  orders  of  men,  hfe 
Attained  the  title  of  "  Father  of  his  country,"  which  was 
inscribed  on  bis  tomb.  He  died  Aug.  I,  1464>  aged  seventy- 
five  years,  deeply  lamented  by  the  citizens  of  Florence,1 

MEDICI  (Lorenzo*  or  Lawrence  db),  grandson  of 
the  preceding,  was  born  Jan.  1,  1448.  From  his  earliest 
years  he  gave  proofs  of  a  vigorous  mind,  which  was  car6* 
fully  cultivated,  and  exhibited  many  traits  of  that  princely 
and  liberal  spirit  which  afterwards  procured  him  the  title  of 
"  Magnificent."  In  polite  literature  he  cultivated  poetry* 
and  gave  some  proofs  of  his  talents  in  various  eomposi* 
tions.  At  the  death  of  Cosmo,  on  account  of  the  infirinU 
ties  of  his  father  Peter  de  Medici^  he  was  immediately 
initiated  into  political  life,  although  then  only  in  bis  six- 
teenth year.  He  vtas  accordingly  sent  to  visit  the  pririci* 
pal  courts  in  Italy,  and  acquire  a  personal  knowledge  of 
their  politics  and  their  rulers*  In  1 469  his  father  di6d* 
leaving  his  two  sons  Lorenzo  and  Julian  heirs  of  his  pottet 
and  property ;  but  it  was  Lorenzo  who  succeeded  him  fcs* 
head  of  the  republic.  Upon  the  accession  of  Sistu*  IV.  to 
the  papal  throne,  he  went,  with  some  other  citizens,  lo 
congratulate  the  new  pope,  and  was  invested  with  the  df-» 
%fice  of  treasurer  of  the  holy  see,  and  while  at  Rome  took 
every  opportunity  to  add  to  the  remains  of  ancient  art 
which  his  family  had  collected.  One  of  the  first  public 
Occurrences  after  he  conducted  the  helm  of  government, 
Iras  *  revolt  of  the  inhabitants  of  Volterra,  on  account  of 

.  1cRoKoe,ilifeof  Lorcnz0.~»Recs'f  Crclop»duu 

•B  2 


4  MEDICI. 

a  dispute  with  the  Florentine  republic  ;  by  the  recommen- 
dation of  Lorenzo,  means  of  force  were  adopted,  which 
ended  in  the  sack  of  the  unfortunate  city,  an  event  that 
gave  him  much  concern.     In  1472,  he  re-established  the 
academy  of  Pisa,  to  which  he  removed  in  order  to  com- 
plete the  work,  everted  himself  in  selecting  the  most  emi- 
nent professors,  and  contributed  to  it  a  large  sum  from  his 
private  fortune,  in  addition  to  that  granted  by  the  state  of 
Florence,     Zealously  attached  to  the  Platonic  philosophy, 
be  took  an  active  part  in  the  establishment  of  an  .academy 
for  its  promotion,  and  instituted  an  annual  festival  in  ho- 
nour of  the  memory  of  Plato,  which  was  conducted  with 
singular  literary  splendour.     While  he  was  thus  advancing 
in  a  career  of  prosperity  and  reputation,  a  tragical  inci- 
dent was  very  near  depriving  his  country  of  his  future  ser- 
vices.    This  was  the  conspiracy  of  the  Pazzi,  a  numerous 
and  distinguished  family  in  Florence,  of  which  the  object 
was  the  assassination  of  Lorenzo  and  bis  brother.     In  the 
latter  they  were  successful ;  but  Lorenzo  was  saved,  and 
the  people  attached  to  the  Medici  collecting  in  crowds, 
put   to  death  or  apprehended   the   assassins,  whose   de- 
signs were  thus  entirely  frustrated,  and  summary  justice 
was  inflicted   on   the   criminals.     Satviati,   archbishop   of 
Pisa,  was  hanged  out  of  the  palace  window  in  his  sacer- 
dotal robes ;    and  Jacob  de  Pazzi,  with  one  of  his  ne- 
phews, shared  the  same  fate.     The  name  and  arms  of  the 
Pazzi  family  were  suppressed,  its  members  were  banished, 
and  Lorenzo  rose  still  higher  in  the  esteem  and  affection  of 
his  fellow- citizens.     The  pope,  Sixtus  IV.  who  was  deep 
in  this  foul  conspiracy,  inflamed  almost  to  madness  by  the 
defeat  of  his,  schemes,  excommunicated  Lorenzo  and  the 
magistrates  of  Florence,  laid  an  interdict  upon  the  whole . 
territory,  and,  forming  a  league  with  the  king  of  Naples, 
prepared  to  invade  the  Florentine  dominions.     Lorenzo 
appealed  to  all  the  surrounding  potentates  for  the  justice 
of  his  cause;  and  he  was  affectionately  supported  by  his* 
fellow-citizens.  Hostilities  began,  and  were  carried  on  with 
various  success  through  two  campaigns.     At  the  close  of 
1479,  Lorenzo  took  the  bold  resolution  of  paying  a  visit 
to  the  king  of  Naples,  and,  without  any  previous  security, 
trusted  his  liberty  and  his  life  to  the  mercy  of  a  declared 
enemy.     The  monarch. was  struck  with  this  heroic  act  of 
confidence,  and  a  treaty  of  mutual  defence  and  friendship 
was  agreed  upon  between  them,    and  Sixtus  afterwards 


MEDICL  5 

consented  to  a  peace.  At  length  the  death  of  Sixtus  IV. 
freed  him  from  an  adversary  who  never  ceased  to  bear  him 
ill-will ;  and  he  was  able  to  secure  himself  a  friend  in  his 
successor  Innocent  VIII.  He  conducted  the  republic  of 
Florence  to  a  degree  of  tranquillity  and  prosperity  which 
it  had  scarcely  ever  known  before ;  and  by  procuring  the 
institution  of  a  deliberative  body,  of  the  nature  of  a 
senate,  he  corrected  the  democratical  part  of  his  con- 
stitution. 

Lorenzo  distinguished  himself  beyond  any  of  his  pre- 
decessors in  the  encouragement  of  literature  and  the  arts  : 
and  his  own  productions  are  distinguished  by  a  vigour  of 
imagination,  an  accuracy  of  judgment,  and  an  elegance  of 
style,  which  afforded  the  first  great  example  of  improve* 
ment,  and  entitle  him,  almost  exclusively,  to  the  honour- 
able appellation  of  the  "  restorer  of  Italian  literature." 
His  compositions  are  sonnets,  canzoni,  and  other  lyric 
pieces,  some  longer  works  in  stanzas,  some  comic  satires, 
and  jocose  carnival  songs,'  and  various  sacred  poems,  the 
latter  as  serious  as  many  of  the  former  are  licentious: 
Some  of  these  pieces,  especially  those  of  the  lighter  kind, 
in  which  he  imitated  the  rustic  dialect,  became  extremely 
popular.  His  regard  to  literature,  in  general,  was  testi- 
fied by  the  extraordinary  attention  which  he  paid  to  the 
augmentation  of  the  Laurentian  library.  Although  the  an- 
cestors of  Lorenzo  laid  the  foundation  of  the  immense  col- 
lection of  MSS.  contained  in  this  library,  he  may  claim 
the  honour  of  having  raised  the  superstructure.  If  there 
was  any  pursuit  in  which  he  engaged  more  ardently  and 
persevered  in  more  diligently  than  the  rest,  it  was  that  of  • 

enlarging  his  collection  of  books  and  antiquities :  for  this 
purpose  he  employed  the  services  of  learned  men,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Italy,  and  especially  of  his  intimate  friend  * 
and  companion  Politian,  who  took  several  journey  sin  order 
to  discover  and  purchase  the  valuable,  remains  of  antiquity. 
"  I  wi&h,"  said  Lorenzo  to  him  as  he  was  proceeding  on 
one  of  these  expeditions,  "  that  the  diligence  of  Picus 
and  yourself  would  afford  me  such  opportunities  of  pur- 
chasing books  that  I  should  be  obliged  even  to  pledge 
my  furniture  to  possess  them"  Two  journeys,  undertaken 
at.  the  instance  of  Lorenzo,  into  the  east,  by  John  Lascar, 
produced  a  great  number  of  rare  and  valuable  works.  On 
his  return  from  his  second  expedition,  he  brought  with 
bim  two  hundred  copies,  many  of  which  he  had  procured 


6  M  E  P  J  C  I. 

from  a  B>ona$tery  afr  mount,  Atbos ;  but  this. treasure  did  not 
agrrive  till  after  the  death  of  Lorenzo,  who,  in  bis  last  mo- 
ments, expressed  to  Politian  and  Picus  his.  regret  that  he 
could,  not  live  to  complete  tiue  collectioa  which,  he  was* 
fouling  for  theij;  accommodation.    On  the  discovery  of  the 
invaluable  art  of  printing,  Lorenzo  was  solicitous,  to  avail 
himself  of  ifp  advantages  ii)i  procuring  editions,  of  the  best 
works  of  antiquity  corrected  by  tbie  ablest  scholars,  whose 
labours  were   rewarded  by  his  munificence.     When,  the 
capture  of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks  caused  the  dis- 
persion of  many  learned  Q reeks,,  be  took  advantage  of 
the  circumstance,  to  promote  the  study  of  jhe  Greek  lan«% 
guage  in  Italy.     It  was  'now  at  Florence  that  this  tongue 
was  inculcated  under  the  sanction  of  a  public  institution*, 
either  by  native  Greeks,,  or  learned  Italians,  who  were  their 
powerful  competitors,  whose  services  were  procured  by  the 
diligence  of  Lorenzo  de  Medici,  and  repaid  by  bis  bounty., 
"  Hence,"  says  Mr.  Roscoe,.  "  succeeding:  scholars  have: 
been  profuse  of  their  acknowledgments  to  their  great  pa- 
tron,, who.  first  formed  that  establish  meat,    from  which* 
to  use  their  own    classical    figure,,    as  from  the  Trojan 
horse,     so     many    illustrious     champions    have    sprung,^ 
and   by  means  of    which  the  knowledge   of  the  Greek, 
tpngue  was  extended,    not  only  through  all  Italy,   but 
through  France,  Spain,  Germany,  and  England ;  from  all, 
which  countries  numerous  pupils,  attended  at  Florence*  who> 
diffused  the  learning  they  had  there  acquired;  throughout, 
the  rest  of  Europe." 

The  services  of  Lorenzo  to  the  fine  arts  were  not  less  con* 
spicuous  than  those  whichhe  rendered  to  letters,  by, augment- 
ing his  father's  collection  of  the  remains  of  antient  taste  and 
skill.     It  is  not,  however,  on  this  account,  only  that  he  is~< 
,  entitled  to  the  esteem  of  the  professors  and  admirers. of  the: 
arts.     He  determined  to  excite,  amon&  his  countrymen-, 
a  gpod  taste,,  and,,  by  proposing  to  their  imitation  the  rer 
mains  of  the  ancient  masters,  to  elevate  their,  views  beyond 
the  forms  of  common  life,  to  the  contemplation  of  that- 
ideal  beauty  which  alone  distinguishes  works,  of  art  from 
mere  mechanical  productions.    With  this  vi^w  he  appro* 
priated  his. gardens  in  Florence  to  the  establishment  of  an* 
academy  for  the  study  of  the  antique,  which  he  furnished: 
with  a  profusion  of  statues,  busts,  and  oth^r  relics  of  art, 
the  most  perfect  in  their  kind  that  he.  could,  procure,    Th& 


MEDICI*  7 

attention  of  the  higher  Tank  of  bis-  feHow-citrzetrtf  wtf* 
incited  to  these  pursuits  by  the  Example  of  Lorenzo-';  thai 
of  the  lower  class  by  bis- liberality.  To  the  latter  k&ftotf 
only  allowed  competent  stipends*,  while  th*e*y  attended  to 
their  studies,  but  appointed  considerable  premiums  as  re- 
wards of  their  proficiency.  To  this  institution,  more  thaW 
any  other  circumstance,  Mr.  Roscoe  ascribes*  the  sudden* 
and  astonishing  proficiency  which,  towards  the  close  of  the 
1 5th  century,  was  evidently  made  in  the  arts,  and  which, 
commencing  at  Florence,  extended  itself  to  the  rest  of  Eu- 
rope. In  1488,  his  domestic  comfort  was  much  impaired  by 
the  loss  of  his  wife  ;  and  after  that  his  constitution  appears* 
to  have  given  way,  and  in  April  1492,  he*  sunk  under  the 
debilitating  power  of  a  slow  fever,  and  expired  in  the  forty- 
fourth  year  of  his  age.  For  his  general  character,'  as  well* 
as<  the  history  of  his  age,  we  must  refer  to  the  very  inte&* 
resting  work  from  which  this  brief  account  has  beetl- 
takeh. ' 

MEDINA  (Sir  John),  a  portrait-painter,  waar  the  son 
of  Afedina  de  l'Asturias,  a  Spanish  captain,  who  had  settled1 
at  Brussels,  where  this  son  was  born  in  1659,  and  was  in- 
structed in  painting  by  Du  Chatel.     He  married  youngs 
and  cattle  into  England  in  1686,  where  be  drew  portraits' 
for  several  years.     The  earl  of  Leven  encouraged  hint  t& 
go  to  Scotland,  and  procured  him  a*  subscription  of  five* 
Hundred  pounds  worth  of  business.    He  accepted  the  otfer, 
and,  acoordiug  to  Waipole,  carried  with  hurra  large  num- 
ber of  bodies  and  postures,  to  which  he  painted  heads; 
He  returned  to  England  for  a-  short  time,  but  went  again' 
to  Scotland,  where  be  died  in  1711,  aged  fifty- two,  and' 
was  buried   in   the  Grey  Friars   church-yard.      He   was* 
knighted  by  the  duke  of  Queensbury,  lord-  high  commis- 
sioner, being' the  last  instance  of  that  honour  conferred  itr 
Scotland  while  a  separate  kingdom.     He  painted  most  of 
the  Scotch   nobility;    but  was  .not   rich,    having  twenty 
children*     The  portraits  of  the  professors  ia  the5  Surgeons' - 
ball  at  Edinburgh  were  painted  by  him.     Waipole  notices* 
other  portraits  by  him  in  England,  and;  adds,  that  he  was* 
capable  both  of  history  and  landscape.     The  duke  of  Gor- 
don presented  his  portrait  to  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany,' 
who  pJ-aced  it  in  the  gallery  at  Florence,  among  the  series' 
of-emttieot  artists  painted  by  themselves;     The  prints  in' 

1  Rot<pe's  Life  of  Loreoao,  abridged  in  Rets'*  CyctopHdia. 


*  MEDINA. 

*n  octavo  edition  of  Milton  were  designed  by  him,  but 
Mr.  Walpole  does  not  tell  us  of  what  date.  Sir  John's 
gxapdson,  John  Medina;  the  last  of  the  family,  died  at 
Edinburgh  in  1796.  He  practised  painting  in  some  mea- 
sure, although  all  we  have  heard  specified  is  the  repair  he 
gave  to  the  series  of  Scottish  kings  in  Holyrood-house, 
which  are  well  known  to  be  imaginary  portraits.1 

MEERMAN  (Gerard),  a  very  learned  lawyer  and  pen- 
sionary of  Rotterdam  wa*  born  at  Leyden  in  1722  ;  of  his 
early  history,  pursuits,  &c.  our  authorities  give  no  ac- 
count, nor  have  the  bibliographers  of  this  country,  to  whom* 
he  is  so  well  known,  supplied  this  deficiency.  All  we  know 
is,  that  he  died  December  15,  1771,  in  the  forty-ninth  year 
of  his  age,  after  a  life  spent  in  learned  research  and  la- 
bom-,  which  produced  the  following  works  :  1.  "  De  rebus- 
mancipi  et  nee  mancipi."  Leyden,  1741,  4to.  2.  "  Spe- 
cimen calculi  fluxionalis,"  ibid.  1742,  4to.  3.  "Speci- 
men animadversionum  in  Cazi  institutiones,"  Mantuae  Car- 
petunorum  (i.  e.  Madrid),  reprinted  with  additions  by  the 
author,  at  Paris,  1747,  8vo.  4.  "  Conspectus  novi  the- 
sauri juris  civilis  et  canonici,"  Hague,  1751,  8vo.  This 
conspectus  was  immediately  followed  by  the  work  itself. 
5.  "Novus  Thesaurus  juris  civilis,"  &c.  ,1751^-1753,  7 
vols,  folio ;  a  book  of  high  reputation,  to  which  his  son 
John  added  an  eighth  volume,  in  1780.  6.  "  Conspectus 
OrigiuumTypographicarum  proxime  in  lucem  edehdarum," 
1761,  8vo.  This  prospectus  is  very  scarce,  as  the  author 
printed  but  a  very  few  copies :  it  is  however  in  demand 
with  collectors,  as  containing  some  things  which  he  did  not 
insert  in  the  work  itself.  The  abb£  Gouget  published  a 
French  translation,  with  some  additions,  in  1762.  The 
entire  work  appeared  in  1765,  under  the  title  of,  7.  il  Ori- 
gines  Typographies,"  Hague,  2  vols.  4to.  An  analysis  of 
tbis  valuable  work  was  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Bowyer,  and  printed 
in  "  The  Origin .  of  Printing,  in  two  Essays,  1.  The  sub- 
stance of  Dr.  Middleton's  Dissertation  on  the  origin  of 
printing  in  England.  2.  Mr.  Meerman's  account  of  the 
first  invention  of  the  art,"  1774,  8vo.  This  volume  was 
the  joint  composition  of  Messrs.  Bowyer  and  Nichols. 
Meerman's  partiality  to  Haerlem,  as  the  origin  of  print- 
ing, was  attacked  with  much  severity  by  Heinecken,  who 
being  a  German,  betrayed  as  much  partiality  to  Mental 

1  Walpolc'f  Anecdotes.— Edwards's  Continuation. 


MEERMAN.  9 

^nd  Strasburgh. '  It .  seems,  however,  now  to  be  agreed 
among  typographical  antiquaries,  that  Heineckep  paid  too 
little  attention  to  the  claims  of  Haerlem,  and  Meerman  in- 
finitely too  much.  The, dissertation  of  the  latter,  however, 
has  very  recently  been  reprinted  in  France,  by  Mons. 
Jansen,  with  useful  notei,  and  a  catalogue  of  all  tbe 
v  books  published  in  the  Low  Countries«diiring  the  fifteenth 
century** 

i  MEHEGAN  (William  Alexander),  a  French  bisto* 
nan,  of  Irish   extraction,  as  his    name    sufficiently  de- 
notes, was  born  in  1721  at  Salle  in  the  C£vennes.     He 
addicted  himself  very   early   to  letters,  and  the  history 
of  his  life  is  only  the  history  of  his. publications.     He 
produced  in   1752,  1.  ?'  The  origin  of  the   Guebres,  or 
natural  religion  put  into  action."     This  book  has  too  much 
of  the  cast  of  modern  philosophy  to  deserve  recommenda- 
tion, and  has  now  become  very  scarce.  \  2.  In   1755  he 
published  "  Considerations  on  the  Revolutions  of  Arts,"  a 
work  more  easily  to  t>e  found;  and,  3.  A  small  volume  of 
"  Fugitive  Pieces'9  in  verse,  far  inferior  to  his  prose.     In 
the  ensuing  year  appeared,  4.  His  "  Memoirs  of  the  Mar- 
chioness de  Terville,  with  the  Letters  of  Aspasia,"   12 mo. 
The  style  of  tjhese  memoirs  is  considered  as  affected,  which, 
indeed,  is  the  general  faujt  prevalent  in  bis  works.     In  his 
person  also  be. is  said  to  have  been  affected  and  finical ; 
with  very  ready  elocution,  but  a  mode  of  choosing  both 
his  thoughts  and  expressions  that  was  rather  brilliant,  than 
natural.     His  style,  however,  improved  as  he  advanced' m 
life.     In  1759  he  gave  the  world  a  treatise  on,  5.  "  The 
origin,  progress,  and  decline  of  Idolatry,"  12mo;  a  pro- 
duction in. which  this  improvement  in  his  mode  of  writing 
is  very  .evident.     It  is  still  more  so  in  his,  6.  "  Picture  of 
modern  History,"  "Tableau  de  l'Histoire  moderne,"  which 
was  published  in  1766,  in  3  vols.  1 2 mo.     His  chief  faults 
are  those  of  ill- regulated  genius,  which  is  very  strongly 
apparent  in  this  work;  it  is  eloquent,  full  of  those  graces 
of  elocution,  and  richness  of  imagination,  which  are  said 
to  have  made  his  conversation  so  peculiar :  but  it  becomes 
fatiguing  from  an  excessive  ambition  to  paint  every  thing 
in  brilliant  colours.  •'  He  speaks  of  every  thing  in  the  pre- 
sent tense,  and  he  embellishes  every  subject  with  images 

i  Diet.  Hist.— Bowycr  and  Nichols's  "  Origin  of  Printing."-— Dibdin's  Biblio- 
nania  and  Typographical  Antiquities.— Saaii  Onomast. 


• 


f 


10  M  E  H  E  G  A  N. 

and  allusions.  He  died  Jaw.  23,  1766,  before*  this  nrfost 
considerable  of  his  works  was  quite  ready  for  publication. 
Be  was*  married,  and  bis  wife  is  said  US  have  been  a  woman 
who  in  all  respects  did  honour  to  the  elegance  of  his  taste?. 
AH  his  writings  are  in  French. l 

MEIBOMIUS,  is  the  name  of  several  learned1  men,  wfror 
weve  Germans.     John- Henry  Meibomiue  was  a  professor* 
of  physic  at  Helmstadt,  where  he  was  born  in  1590,  ancf# 
was.  arfterwaixfe  first  pbyaiciaw  at  Lubeck,  where  he  died  in 
1655.     He  was  the  author  of  several  Itemed  works  on  me- 
dical subjects,  such  as  '*  Jusjurandum  Hippoeratis,"    Gr. 
&  Lafc,  1643,  4*o;  "  t)e   usu  flagrorum  in   re   medica," 
Leyden*.  1639,  &c.  &c.     He  is  known  in  the  literary  world7 
by  a  work  published  at  Leyden  in  1653,  4to,  and  entitled,. 
" Maacenas,.  sive  dte  C.  Cilnii  Matcenatis  vita,  moribus,  & 
rebus  gestis,"  in  which  he  seems  to  have  quoted'  every 
passage  from  antiquity,  where  any  thing  is  said  of  Maece- 
nas;.  but  having  employed1  neither  criticism  nor  method,* 
he  cannot  claim  any  higher*  merit  than  that  of  a  mere  col-  , 
lector.9 

MtEIBOMIUS  (Hbnry),  son  of  the  former,  was  born  atf 
Lubeck  in  1638;  and  after  toying  a  proper  foundation  in' 
literature   at  home,  went  in    1655   to   the   university   of 
Helmstadt,  where  he  applied  himself  to  philosophy  and4 
medicine.     Afterwards  he  went  to  study  under  the  pro- 
feseors*  at  Groningen,  Franeker,  and  Leyden ;  and  upon 
his  return  to  Germany,  projected  a  larger  tour  through' 
Italy,  France,  and  England,  which  he  executed ;  he  con- 
tracted an   acquaintance   with   the  learned  wherever  he 
went;,  and  took  a>  doctor  of  physic's  degree  in  1*>63>,  as 
he  passed  through  Angers  in  France.     He  was  offered  a' 
professorship  of  physio  at  Helmstadt  in  1661 :  but  his  tra^ 
veiling  scheme  did  not-  permit  him  to  take  possession  of  if 
till   1664.     This,  and   the   professorships  of  history    and' 
poetry,  joined  to  it  in  1678,  he  held  to  the  time  of  bis- 
death,  which  happened  in: March,  17O0.     Besides  a  great 
number  of'  works  relating  to  his  own* profession,  he  pub* 
lished,  in  3  vols,  folio,  in  1688,  "  Scriptores  rerom-  Ger- 
mantcarum,"   a  very  useful  collection,   which  had  been* 
begun,  but  not  finished,  by  his  father.8 

1  Necrologie  pour  1767. — Diet.  Hist 

*  Moreri.— Ek>y,  Diet.  Hist  de  Medicine. — Savii  Onomattieon. 

*  Moreru— Eloy.«— Mceron,  toJ.  XVHI.— -Saxii  OnomatticoB* 


M  e  r  B  O  M  I  u  s.  n 

.   MEIBOMLUS  (Marcus),  a.  very  learned  man,  of  the 
flame  feuaaily  as  the  preceding,  was*  born  in  16  ill.     He  de- 
voted himself  to  literature  and  criticieoiy  but  particularly 
ta  the  learning  ef  the  ancients ;  as  their  music,,  the  struc- 
ture of  their  galleys,  &c.     In  1652  he  published  a  collec- 
tion' of  seven  Greek  authors,  who  had  written  upon  ancient 
l  music,  to  which,  he  added  a  Latin  version  by  himself,     it 
+wa&  entided  "  Antique  Musics  auctores  septenx  Greece  et 
Latine,  Marcos  Mieibomit*  restituit  ac  Notis  explicavit."' 
Aaaat.     The  first  volume  contains :   I.  Ariatoxetil  Harmo- 
nicoruro  Elementorura^  libri  \iu     IL  Euclidis  Introductio- 
Harmonica..    III.  Nichomachi  Geraseni,  Pythagorici,  Har- 
mon^ Man u ale.     IV.  Alypu  Introductio  Musica*     V.  Gau- 
dentii    Philosophi   Introductio    Harmonica.      VI.  Bacchii 
Seuioris  Introductio  Artia  Musiosa.    The  second;  volume : 
Ari&tidis  QuintiHaoi  de  Musica*.  libri  iii.    Martiani  Capelles 
de  Musicay  liber  ix.     This,  says  Dc  Burpey,  is  the  most 
solid  aud  celebrated  of  his  critical  works,  in  which  all  sub- 
sequent writers  on.  the  subject  of  ancient  music  place  im- 
plicit faith*     It  is  from  these  commentaries  oni  the  Greek 
writers  in  music,  particularly  Alypius,  that  we  are  able  t(h 
fancy  we  can  decipher  the  musical  characters  used  by  the 
ancient  Greeks,  in  their  notation ;  which,  before  his  time, 
had  been  so  altered,  corrupted,  disfigured,  and  confounded, 
by   the   ignorance   or  negligence  of  the   transcribers   of 
ancient  MS&,  that  they  were  rendered  wholly  uninteU 
ligible. 

Meibomius,  after  this  learned  and  elegant  publication, 
was  invited  to  the  court  of  the  queen  of  Sweden,  to  whom1 
he  had  dedicated  it;  hut  this  visit  was  not  followed  by  the 
most  pleasing  consequences*     Having  by  his  enthusiastic 
account  of  the  music  of.  the  ancients,  impressed  this*  prin- 
cess with  similar  ideas,  the  younger  Bourdelot,  \  physi- 
cian, and  his  rival,  (as  a  classical  scholar)' in  the*  queen's* 
favour,  instigated  her  majesty  to  desire' bior  to  sing  an' 
ancient  Grecian  air,,  while  Naudet,  'an  old  Frenchman,  . 
danced  d  la  Grec  to  the  sound  of  his  voice.     But  the  per- 
formance, instead  of  exciting  admiration*  produced  loud- 
bursts  of  laughter  from  all  present ;  which  so  enraged  Mei- 
bomius, that  seeing  the  buffoon  Bourdelot  in  the  gallery 
among  the  scoffers,  and  having  no  doubt  but  that  it  was  he 
who,  with  a  malicious  design,  had  persuaded  her  majesty 
to  desire  this  performance,  immediately  flew  thither,  and 
exercised  the  pugilist's  art  on  his  face  so  violently,  without 


12  M  E  I  B  O  M  I  U  S. 

being  restrained  by  the  presence  of  the  queen,  that  he? 
thought  it  necessary  to  quit  the  Swedish  dominions  before 
he  could  be  called  to  an  account  for  his  rashness  ;  and  im- 
mediately went  to  Copenhagen,  where  being  well  received, 
he  fixed  his  residence  there,  and  became  a  professor  at 
Sora,  a  Danish  college  for  the  instruction  of  the  young 
nobility.  Here  too  he  was  honoured  with  the  title  of 
aulic  counsellor,  and  soon  after  was  called  to  Elsineur, 
and  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  Architesori6,  or  presi- 
dent of  the  board  of  maritime  taxes  or  customs ;  but, 
neglecting  the  duty  of  his  office,  he  was  dismissed,  and 
upon  that  disgrace  quitted  Denmark.  Soon  after,  he 
settled  at  Amsterdam,  and  became  professor  of  history 
in  the  college  of  that  city;  but  refusing  to  give  instruc- 
tions to  the  son  of  a  burgomaster,  alleging  that  he  was 
not  accustomed  to  instruct  boys  in  the  elements  of  know- 
ledge, but  to  finish  students  arrived  at  maturity  in  their 
studies,  he  was  dismissed  from  that  station.  After  quitting 
Amsterdam,  he  visited  France  and  England ;  then  re- 
turning to  Holland,  he'  led  a  studious  and  private  life  at 
Amsterdam  till  1710  or  1711,  when  he  died  at  near  100 
years  of  age. 

Meibomius  pretended  that  the  Hebrew  copy  of  the 
Bible  was  full  of  errors,  and  undertook  to  correct  them  by 
means  of  a  metre,  which  he  fancied  he  had  discovered  in 
those  ancient  writings ;  but  this  drew  upon  him  no  small 
raillery  from  the  learned.  Nevertheless,  besides  the  work 
above  mentioned,  he  produced  several  others,  which  shewed 
him  to  be  a  good  scholar;  particularly  his  "  Diogenes 
Laerti'us,"  Amst.  1692,  2  vols.  4to,  by  far  the  most  critical 
and  perfect  edition  of  that  writer ;  his  "  Liber  de  Fabrica 
Triremium,"  1671,  in  which  he  thinks  he  discovered  the 
method  in  which  the  ancients  disposed  their  bancs  of  oars  ; 
bis  edition  of  the  ancient  Greek  Mycologists ;  and  his 
dialogues  on  Proportions,  a  curious  work,  in  which  the 
interlocutors,  or  persons  represented  as  speaking,  are 
Euclid,  Archimedes,  Apollonius,  Pappus,  Eutocius,  Theo, 
and  Hermotimus.  This  last  work  was  opposed  by  Lan- 
gius,  and  by  Dr.  Wall  is  in  a  considerable  tract,  printed 
in  the  first  volume  of  bis  works. ' 

l  Moreri.— Burney'g  Hist,  of  Music,  and  in  the  Cyclopedia. — Htttton's  Diet. 
— Smxii  Onomasticon. 


MEIEH.  13 

MEIER  (George  Frederic),  a  German  writer  on  phi- 
losophical subjects,  was  born  in  1718,  at  Ammendorff, 
near  Halle  in  Saxony.  He  appeared  first  as  an  author  m 
1745,  when  he  published,  in  German,  1.  His  "  Represen- 
tation of  a  Critic,"  being  his  delineation  of  the  character 
of  a  perfect  critic.  In  the  same  year  he  produced,  2.  "  In- 
structions how  any  one  may  become  a  Modern  Philoso- 
pher," 8vo.  We  have  a  translation  in  this  country,  called 
"  The  Merry  Philosopher,  or  Thoughts  on  Jesting,"  pub- 
lished in  1764,  from  the  German  of  Meier,  but  whether 
a  translation  of  the  last-mentioned  work,  we  know  not.  It 
is  a  very  dull  performance.  Whatever  merit  might  belong 
to  his  works  on  philosophical  and  critical  subjects,  they 
were  peculiarly  his  own,  for  he  was  not  master  of  the 
learned  languages.  Yet  his  work  on  the  elements  of  all 
the  polite  arts,  was  received  by  his  countrymen  with  no 
inconsiderable  approbation.  It  is  entitled,  3.  "  Introduc- 
tioo  to  the  elegant  arts  and  sciences ;"  and  was  printed  at 
Halle,  in  Svo,  1743 — 1750;  and  republished,  in  three 
parts,  in  1754 — 1759.  J.  Matthew  Gesner,  however,  in 
his  "  Isagoge,"  is  frequently  severe  against  this  author, 
and  particularly  derides  his  form  of  Esthetics,  which  had 
been  much  applauded.     Meier  died  in  1777.  *       ,    - 

MEKERCHUS.     See  METKERKE. 

MELA  (Pomponius),  an  ancient  Latin  writer,  was  born 
in  the  province  of  Bsetica  in  Spain,  and  flourished  in  the 
first  century,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Claudius.  His 
three  books  of  "  Cosmography,  or  De  situ  Orbis,"  are 
written  in  a  concise,  perspicuous,  and  elegant  manner; 
and  have  been  thought  worthy  of  the  attention  and  labours 
of  the  ablest  critics.  Isaac  Vossius  gave  an  edition  of 
them  in  1658,  4to,  with  very  large  and  copious  notes,  in 
which  he  takes  frequent  occasion  to  criticize  "  Salthasius's 
Commentaries  upon  Soiinus."  James  Gronovius  published 
"Mela,"  in  1658,  12mo,  with  shorter  notes;  in  which, 
however,  as  if  he  resented  Vossius's  treatment  of  Salmasius, 
he  censures  his  animadversions  with  some  degree  of  se- 
verity. To  this  edition  of  Mela,  is  added,  "  Jnlii  Honorii 
oratoris  excerptum  cosmographise,"  first  published  from 
the  manuscript ;  and  "  JEthici  Cosmographia:"  Vossius 
answered  the  castigations  of  Gronovius,  in  an  "  Appendix 
to  his  Annotations,"  1686,  4to;  but,  dying  the  same  year, 

1  Diet.  Hist—Saxii  Onomasticeo. 


14  MELA. 

Jeft  his  manes  to  be  insulted  by  Grooovius,  in  another 
edition  <of  Mela  immediately  published,  with  illustrations  by 
.medals.  In  this  last  edition  by  Grouovins,  are  added  five 
books*,  "  De  geotgraphia,"  written  by  some  later  author; 
by  Jornandes,  as  Fabrkias  conjectures.  Perhaps  one  of 
the  best  editions  of  Pomponius  Mela,  is  that  by  Reynolds, 
printed  at  Exeter  in  1711*  4to,  illustrated  with  27  maps, 
and  which  was  reprinted  at  London,  1719  and  1739,,  and 
at  Eton,  1761  and  1775,  4to.  The  last  edition,  collated 
with  many  MSS.  is  that  by  C.  H.  Tzscbuckius,  printed  at 
Leipsic,  1807,  7  vols.  Svo.1 

MELANCTHON  (Philip),  whom  the  common  consent 
of  all  ecclesiastical  historians  has  placed  among  the  most 
eminent  of  the  reformers,  was  born  at  Bietten,  in  the 
Palatinate  upon  the  Rhine,  Feb.  16,  1497.  His  family 
name,  Scbwartserd,  in  German,  means  literally  black  earthy 
which,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  times  {as  in  tbe^case 
of  Oecolampadtus,  Erasmus,  C  by  tree  us,  Reuchlio,  &c), 
was  exchanged  for  Mdauctbon,  a  compound  Greek  word 
of  the  same  signification.  His  education  was  at  first 
chiefly  under  the  care  of  his  maternal  grandfather  Renter, 
as  his  father's  time  was  much  engrossed  by  the  affairs  of 
the  elector  Palatine,  whom  he  served  as  engineer,  or  com* 
missary  of  artillery.  He  first  studied  at  a  school  in  Bret- 
ten,  and  partly  under  a  private  tutor,  and  gave  very  early 
proofs  of  capacity.  He  was  afterwards  sent  to  Pfortsheim, 
a  city  in  the  marquisate  of  Baden,  where  was  a  flourishing 
college,  and  here  he  became  known  to  the  celebrated 
Reuchlin,  to  whom  it  would  appear  he  was  distantly  re* 
lated,  and  who  assisted  him  in  learning  the  Greek  Ian* 
guage.  Probably  by  his  advice,  Melancthon  went  to  the 
university  of  Heidelberg,  where  he  was  matriculated  on 
Oct.  13,  1509.  Such  was  his  improvement  here  that  his 
biographers  inform  us  he  was  admitted  to  his  bachelor'* 
degree,  although  under  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  that  he 
was  intrusted  to  teach  the  sons  of  count  Leon  stein.  Yet, 
notwithstanding  his  extraordinary  proficiency,  he  was  re- 
fused his  degree  of  master  on  account  of  his  youth ;  and, 
either  disappointed  in  this,  or  because  the  air  of  Heidel* 
berg  did  not  agree  with  his  constitution,  be  left  that  uni- 
versity in  1512,  and  went  to  Tubingen,  where  he  resided 
six  years. 

1  Vossitis  de  Hist.  Lat.— Fabric  Bibl,  JL*t.— -Saxii  Onomastiooo* 


JJELANCTHON.  15 

Bgil^et  has  with  much  propriety  classed  Meknctbon 
among  the  enfans  celebres,  or  list  of  youths  who  became 
celebrated  Apr  early  genius  and  knowledge.  It  is  said  that 
while  at  Heidelberg  he  was  employed  in  composing  the 
greatest  part  of  the  academical  speeches,  and  Bail  let  adds, 
than  at  thirteen  he  wrote  a  comedy,  and  dedicated  it  to 
Reijcblii*.  With  such  capacity  and  application  he  could 
nqt  fail  tp  distinguish  himself  during  his  residence  at  Tu- 
bingen, where  he  studied  divinity,  law,  and  mathematics, 
and  gape  public  lectures  on  the  Latin  classics,  and  oo  the 
pcieoces.  About  this  time  Reucblin  had  made  him  a  pre*- 
seat  of  a  small  edition  of  the  Bible,  printed  by  Frobenius, 
in  reading  which*  we  are  tpld,  he  took  much  delight  In 
1513  he  was  created  doctor  in  philosophy,  or  master  of 
arts,  and  had  attracted  the  notice  of  Erasmus,  who  con* 
ceived  the  highest  hopes  of  .bim — "  What  hopes,  indeed," 
he  said  about  1315,  "  may  we  not  entertain  of  Philip  Me* 
lafycthon,  who  though  as  yet  very  young,  and  almost  a 
boy,  is  equally  to  be  admired  for  his  knowledge  in  both 
languages  ?  Wba&  quickness  of  invention  !  what  purity  t>f 
diptipq  j!  what  powers  of  memory  !  what  variety  of  reading  1 
what  qaodesty  and  gracefulness  of  behaviour !"  • 

Iq  1  £  I  H$  Frederic  elector  of  Saxony,  on  the  recommeiv* 
Ration  <pf  Reuchlin,  presented  bim  to  the  Greek  professor- 
ship in  the  university  of  Wittemberg;  and  his  learned  and 
elegant  inauguration  speech  wa6  highly  applauded,  and  re- 
moved every  prejudice  which  might  be  entertained  against 
hisyontb*  Here  he  read  lectures  upon  Homer  and  part 
of  the  Greek  Testament  to  a  crowded  audience,  and  here 
also  J)$  fiwt  formed  that  acquaintance  with  Luther,  then 
divinity  professor  at  Wittemberg,  which  was  of  so  much 
ijppofl#ne#  i?  his  future  life.  He  became  also  known  to 
Carolosi^dt,  one  of  Luther's  most  zealous  adherents  in 
opposing  tk$  corruptions  Of  popery,  and  who  was  at  this 
time  archdeacon  of  Wittemberg.  Finding  that  some  of  the 
sciences  had  been  taught  here  in  a  very  confused  and  im- 
perfect manner  for  want  of  correct  manuals,  or  text-books, 
he  published  in  1519  hi?  "  Rhetoric,"  which  was  followed 
by  .siipiLar  works  on  "  Logic"  and  "  Grammar."  In  the 
abave-qaentioned  year  (1519)  be  accompanied  Luther  to 
Leip&ic,  to  witness  that  conference  which  Luther  had  with 
Eckiiift  (see  Li/trek,  vol  XXL  p.  507),  and  joined  so  much 
io  the  debate  as  to  give  Eckius  a  very  unpleasant  specimen 
of  his  talents  in  controversy.    From  this  time  Melaucthon 


\ 


16  MELANCTHON, 

became  an  avowed  supporter  of  the  doctrines  of  the  refor- 
mation. 

In  1520,  Melancthon  read  leetures  on  St.  Paul's  epistle 
to  the  Romans,  which  were  so  much  approved  by  Luther, 
that  he  caused  them  to  be  printed  for  the  good  of  the 
churchy  and  introduced  them  by  a  preface.  In  the  follow- 
ing year,  hearing  that  the  divines  of  Paris  had  condemned 
the  works  and  doctrine  of  Luther  by  a  formal .  decree, 
Melancthon  opposed  them  with  great  zeal  and  force  of 
•argument,  and  affirmed  Luther's  doctrine  to  be  sound  and 
orthodox.  In  1527  he  was  appointed  by  the  elector  of 
Saxony,  to  visit  all  the  churches  within  his  dominions.  He 
was  next  engaged  to  draw  up,  conjointly  with  Luther,  a 
system  of  laws  relating  to  church  government,  public  wor- 
ship, the  ranks,  offices,  and  revenues  of  the  priesthood,* 
and  other  matters  of  a  similar  nature,  which  the  elector 
promulgated  in  his  dominions,  and  which  was  adopted  by 
the  other  princes  of  the  empire,  who  had  renounced  the 
papal- supremacy  and  jurisdiction.  In  1529  he  accom- 
panied the  elector  to  the  diet  at  Spire,  in  which  the  princes 
and  members  of  the  reformed  communion  acquired  the 
denomination  of  Protestants,  in  consequence  of  their  pro-* 
testing  against  a  decree,  which  declared  unlawful  every 
change  that  should  be  introduced  into  the  established  reli- 
gion, before  the  determination  of  a  general  council  was 
known.  He  was  next  employed  by  the  protestant  princes 
assembled  at  Cobourg  and  Augsburgh  to  draw  up  the  cele- 
brated confession  of  faith,  which  did  such  honour  to  his 
acute  judgment  and  eloquent  pen,  and  is  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Confession  of  Augsburgh,  because  presented  to 
the  emperor  and  German  princes  at  the  diet  held  in  that 
city  in  June  1530.  The  princes  heard  it  with  the  deepest 
attention :  it  confirmed  some  in  the  principles  they  had 
embraced,  and  conciliated  those  who  from  prejudice  or  mis- 
representation, had  conceived  more  harshly  of  Luther's 
sentiments  than*  they  deserved.  The  style  of  this  confes- 
sion is  plain,  elegant,  grave,  and  perspicuous^  sueh  as 
becomes  the  nature  of  the  subject,  and  such  as  might  be 
expected  from  Melaijcthon's  pen.  The  matter  was  un- 
doubtedly supplied  by  Luther,  who,  during  the  diet,  re- 
sided at  Cobourg  ;  and  even  the  form  it  received  from  the 
eloquent  pen  of  his  colleague,  was  authorized  by  his  ap- 
probation and  advice.  This  confession  contains  twenty*' 
eight  chapters,   of  which  twenty-one  are  employed   in 


». 


MELANGTHON.  17 

Representing  the  religious  opinions  of  the  protes tan  ts,  and 
the  other  seven  in  pointing  out  the  corruptions  of  the 
church  of  Rome.  To  the  adherents  of  that  church  it  could 
not  therefore  bq  acceptable,  and  John  Faber,  afterwards 
bishop  of  Vienne  in  Dauphin6,  with  Eckius  and  Cochlseus, 
were  selected  to  draw  up  a  refutation,  to  which  Melanc- 
thon  replied.  In  the  following  year  he  enlarged  his  reply, 
and  published  it  with  the  other  pieces  that  related  to  the 
doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  Lutheran  church,  under  the 
title  of  "  A  Defence  of  the  Confession  of  Augsburgh." 

Melancthon  made  a  very  distinguished  figure  in  the 
many  conferences  which  followed  this  diet.  It  was  in  these 
that  the  spirit  and  character  of  Melancthon  appeared  in 
their  true  colours;  and  it  was  here  that  the  votaries  of 
Rome  exhausted  their  efforts  to  gain  over  to  their  party 
this  pillar  of  the  reformation,  whose  abilities  and  virtues 
added  a  lustre  to  the  cause  -  in  which  be  had  embarked. 
His  gentle  spirit  was  apt  to  sink  into  a  kind  of  yielding 
softness,  under  the  influence  of  mild  and  generous  treat- 
ment Accordingly,  while  his  adversaries  soothed  him 
with  fair  words  and  flattering  promises,  he  seemed  ready 
to  comply  with  their  wishes ;  but,  when  they  so  far  forgot 
themselves  as. to  make  use  of  threats,  Melancthon  appear- 
ed in  a  very  different  point  of  light,  and  showed  a  spirit  of 
intrepidity,  ardour,  and  independence.  It  was  generally 
thought  that  he  was  not  so  averse  to  an  accommodation 
with  the  church  of  Rome  as  Luther,  which  is  grounded 
upon  his  saying  that  they  "  ought  not  to  contend  scrupu- 
lously about  things  indifferent,  provided  those  rites  and 
ceremonies  had  nothing  of  idolatry  in  them  ;  and  even  to 
hear  some  hardships,  if  it  could  be  done  without  impiety." 
But  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  there  was  any  import- 
ant difference  between  him  and  Luther,  but  what  arose 
from  the  different  tempers  of  the  two  men,  which  con- 
sisted in  a  greater  degree  of  mildness  on  the  part  of  Me- 
lancthon. It  was,  therefore, x  this  moderation  and  pacific 
disposition  which  made  him  thought  a  proper  person  to 
settle  the  disputes  about  religion,  which  were  then  very 
violent  in  France ;  and  for  that  purpose  be  was  invited 
thither  by  Francis  I.  Francis  had  assisted  at  a  famous 
procession,  in  Jan.  1535,  and  had  caused  some  heretics  to 
be  burnt.  Melancthon  was  exhorted  to  attempt  a  mitiga- 
tion of  the  king's  anger ;  he  wrote  a  letter  therefore  to 
John  Sturmius,  who  was  then  in  France,  and  another  to 

Vox.  XXII.  C 


18  MELANCTHON. 

Du  Bellai,  bishop  of  Paris.  A  gentleman,  whom  Francis 
bad  sent  into  Germany,  spoke  to  Melancthon  of  the  jour- 
ney to  France ;  and  assured  him,  that  the  king  would  write 
to  him  about  it  himself,  and  would  furnish  him  with  all  the 
means  of  conducting  him  necessary,  for  his  safety.  TothU 
Melancthon  consented,  and  the  gentleman  upon  bis  re- 
turn was  immediately  dispatched  to  him  with  a  letter.  It 
is  dated  from  Guise,  June  28,  1535,  and  declares  the  plea- 
sure the  king  bad,  when  he  understood  that  Melancthon 
was  disposed  to  come  into  France,  to  put  an  end  to  their 
controversies.  Melancthon  wrote  to  the  king,  Sept.  28, 
aud  assured  him  of  his  good  intentions ;  but  was  sorry,  be 
could  not  as  yet  surmount  the  obstacles  to  his  journey. 
The  truth  was,  the  duke,  of  Saxony  had  reasons  of  state 
for  not  suffering  this  journey  to  the  court  of  Francis  I.  and 
Melancthon  could  never  obtain  leave  of  him  to.go,  although 
Luther  had  earnestly  exhorted  that  elector  to  consent  to 
it,  by  representing  to  him,  that  the  hopes  of  seeing  Me- 
lancthon had  put  a  stop  to  the  persecution  of  the  protestants 
in  France ;  and  that  there  was  reason  to  fear,  they  would 
renew  the  same  cruelty,  when  they  should  know  that  he 
would  not  come.  Henry  VIII.  king  of  England,  had  also 
a  desire  to  see  Melancthon,  but  neither  he  nor  Francis  I. 
ever  saw  him. 

His  time  was  now  chiefly  employed  in  conferences  and 
disputes  about  religion.  In  1539,  there  was  an  assembly 
of  the  protestant  princes  at  Francfort,  concerning  a  refor- 
mation ;  and  another. in  1541,  at  Worms,  where  there 
happened  a  warm  dispute  between  Melancthon  and.  Eckius 
respecting  original  sin.  But,  by  the  command  of  the  em- 
peror, it  was  immediately  dissolved,  and  both  of  them 
appointed  to  meet  at  Reinspurg ;  where  Eckius  proposing 
a  sophism  somewhat  puzzling,  Melancthon  paused  a  tittle, 
and  said,  "  that  be  would  give  an  answer  to  it  the  nexfr 
day."  Upon  which  Eckius  represented  to  him  the  disgrace 
of  requiring  so  long  a  time ;  but  Melancthon  replied,  that 
he  sought  not  bis  own  glory,  but  that  of  truth.  In  1 549 
he  went  to  the  archbishop  of  Cologne,  to  assist  him  in  in- 
troducing a  reformation  into  bis  diocese;  but  without 
effect.  He  attended  at  seven  conferences  in  1548;  and 
was  one  of  the  deputies  whom  Maurice,  elector  of  Saxony, 
was  to  send  to  the  council  of  Trent,  in  1552.  His  last 
conference  with  the  doctors  of  the  Romish  communion' 
was  at  Worms,  in  1557.    He  died  at  WitVemberg,  April 


1?,  1560,  in  bis  sixty  •third  year;  and  was  buried  neat' 
Luther,  in  the  church  of  the  castle,  two  days  after.  Some 
days  before  he  died,  he  wrote  upon  a  piece  of  paper  the 
seasons  which  made  him  look  upon  death  as 'a  happiness ; 
and  the  chief  of  them  was,  that  it  "delivered  him  from 
theological  persecutions."  Nature  bad  given  him  a  peace* 
able  temper,  which  was  but  ill-suited  for  the  tim6  in 
which  he  lived.  iHis  moderation  greatly  augmented  his' 
uneasiness.  He  was  like  a  lamb  in  the  midst  of  wolves. 
Nobody  liked  his  mildness ;  it  looked  as  if  .he  was  luke- 
warm ;  and  even  Luther  himself  was  sometimes  angry  at 
it.  It  was,  indeed,  considering  his  situation,  very  incon- 
venient ;  for  it  not  only  exposed  him  to  all  kinds  of  slan- 
der, but  would  hot  suffer  him  to  "  answer  a  fool  according 
to  his  folly."  The  only  advantage  it  procured  him,  was 
to  look  upon  death  without  fear,  by  considering,  that  it 
would  secure  him  from  the  "  odium  theologicum,n  the 
hatred  of  divines,  and  the  discord  of  false  brethren.  He 
was  never  out  of  danger,  but  might  truly  be  said,  "  through 
fear,  to  be  all  his  life-time  subject  to  bondage."  Thus  he 
declared,  in  one  of  his  works,  that  he  "  had  held  his  pro- 
fessor's place  forty  years  without  ever  being  sure  that  he: 
should  not  be  turned  out  of  it  before  the  end  of  the 
week."  ' 

He  married  a  daughter  of  a  burgomaster  of  Wittemberg 
in  1520,  who  lived  with  him  till  1557.  He  had  two  sons 
and  two  daughters  by  her;  and  his  eldest  daughter  Anne, 
in  1536,  became  the  wife  of  Geopge  Sabinus,  one  of  the 
best  poets  of  his  time.  His  other  daughter  was'  married, 
in  1550,  to  Qaspar  Peucer,  who  was  an  able  physician, 
and  very  much  persecuted.  Melancthon  was  a  very  affec- 
tionate father ;  and  there  is  an  anecdote  preserved  of  him, 
which'  perfectly  agrees  with  his  character  for  humility.  A 
Frenchman,  it  is  said,  found  hint  one  day,  holding  a  book 
in  one  hand,  and  rocking  a  child  with  the  other ;  and  upon 
his  expressing  some  surprise,  Melancthon  made  such  a 
pious  discourse  to  hitti  about  the  duty  of  a  father,  and  the 
state  of  grace  in  which  the  children  are  with  God,  "  that 
this  stranger  went  away/*  says  Bayle,  "  much  more  edified 
than  he  came."  Melchior  Adam  relates  a  curious  dialogue' 
which  passed  between  his  son-in-law  Sabinus,  and  cardinal 
Bembos,  concerning  Melancthon.  When  Sabinus  went  to 
see  Italy,  Melancthon  wrote  a  letter  to  cardinal  Bembus/. 
to  recommend  him  to  hisnotice.     The  cardinal  laid  a  great 

c  2 


26  M  E  L  A  N  C  T  H  O  N. 

stress  upon  the  recommendation ;  for  be  loved  Mefancthon 
for  his  abilities  and  learning,  however  be  might  think  him- 
self obliged  to  speak  of  his  religion.  He  was  very  civil 
therefore  to  Sabinus,  invited  him  to  dine  with  him,  and  in 
the  time  of  dinner  asked  him  a  great  many  questions*  par*- 
ticularly  these  three-:  "  What  salary  Melancthon  had  ? 
what  number  of  hearers  1  and  what  he  thought  concerning 
the  resurrection  and  a  future  state  ?"  To  the  first  ques- 
tion Sabinus  replied,  "  that  his  salary  was  not  above  30O 
ftorins  a  year."  Upon  hearing  this,  the  cardinal  cried  oat* 
"  Ungrateful  Germany !  to  value  at  so  low  a  price  so 
many  labours  of  so  great  a  man.'9  The  answer  to  the 
second  was,  "that  he  had  usually  1500  hearers."  **  1 
cannot  believe  it,"  says  the  cardinal :  "  I  do  not  know,  an 
university  in  Europe,  except  that  of  Paris,  in  which  one 
professor  has  so  many  scholars."  To  the  third,  Sabinus. 
replied,  "  that  Melancthon's  works  were  a  full  and  suffi- 
cient proof  of  his  belief  in  those  two  articles."  "  I  should 
think  him  a  wiser  man,"  said  the  cardinal,  "  if  be  did  not 
believe  any  thing  about  them." 

Melancthon  was  a  man  in  whom  many  good  as  well  as 
great  qualities  were  wonderfully  united.  He  had  great 
abilities,  great  learning,  great  sweetness  of  temper,  mo- 
deration, contentedness,  and  other  qualities,  which  would 
*~tiave  made  him  very  happy  in  any  other  times  but  those 
in  which  he  lived.  He  never  affected  dignities,,  honours, 
or  riches,  but  was  rather  negligent  of  them :  too  much  so, 
in  the  opinion  of  some,  considering  be  had  a  family ;  and 
his  £on~in-law  Sabinus,  who  was  of  a  more  ambitious  dis- 
position, was  actually  at  variance  with  him  upon  this  sub* 
jeot.  Learning  was  infinitely  obliged  to  him  on  many  ac- 
counts ;  on  none  more  than  this,  that  be  reduced  ^almost 
all  the  sciences,  which  had  been  taught  before  in  a  vague 
irregular  manner,  into  systems.  We  have  mentioned  that 
be  compiled  compendiums  for  the  use  of  his  scholars ;  and 
also  a  treatise  "  On  the  Soul,"  the  design  of  which  was, 
to  free  the  schools  from  the  nugatory  subtleties  and  idle 
labours  of  the  scholastics,  and  to  confine  the  attention  of 
young  men  to  useful  studies.  He  industriously  ransacked 
the  writings  of  the  ancients,  to  collect  from  them,  in  eyery: 
branch  of  learning,  whatever  was  most  deserving  of  atten- 
tion. Mathematical  studies  he  held  in  high  estimation,  as 
appears  from  his  declamation  De  Mathematicts  Disciphnis* 
"  On  Mathematical  Learning,"  which-  will  very  well  repay 


MELANCTHON.  2J 

the  trouble  of  pefusaL  In  philosophy  he  followed  Aris- 
totle  as,  in  his  judgment,  the  most  scientific  and  methodi- 
cal guide,  but  always  in  due  subordination  to  Revelation, 
and  only  so  far  as  was  likely  to  answer  some  valuable  pur* 
pose.  "  I  would  have  no  one,"  says  he,  a  trifle  in  philo- 
sophising, lest  he  should  at  length  even  lose  sight  of  com- 
mon sense ;  rather  let  him  be  careful  both  in  the  study  of 
physics  and  morals,  to  select  the  best  things  from  the  best 
sources." 

.  If  the  particular  cast  of  Melancthon's  mind  be  con- 
sidered, it  will  not  be  thought  surprising,  that  in  philoso- 
phy he  preferred  a  moderate  attachment  to  a  particular 
sect,  to  any  bold  attempt  at  perfect  innovation.  Though 
he  possessed  a  sound  understanding  and  amiable  temper, 
he  wanted  that  strength  and  hardiness  of  spirit,  which 
might  have  enabled  him  to  have  done  in  philosophy,  what 
Lather  did  in  religion.  He  therefore  chose  rather  to  cor- 
rect the  established  mode  of  philosophising,  than  to  intro- 
duce a  method  entirely  new.  If  it  be  a  just  occasion  of 
regret,  that  in  consequence  of  the  natural  gentleness,  and 
perhaps  timidity,  of  bis  temper,  he  proceeded  no  further, 
it  ought  not  to  be  forgotten,  that  while  religion  was  iritoch 
indebted  to  his  cool  and  temperate,  but  honest  exertions, 
philosophy  was  not  without  obligation  to  him,  for  the 
paind  which  he  took  to  correct  its  eccentricities,  and  adorn, 
it  with  the  graces  of  eloquence. 

Melancthon  made  use  of  the  extensive  influence,  which 
his  high  reputation,  and  the  favour  of  the  reigning  elector 
of  Saxony,  gave  him  in  the  German  schools,  in  which  he 
was  considered  as  a  kind  of  common  preceptor,  to  unite 
the  study  of  the  Aristotelian  philosophy  with  that  of  an- 
cient learning  in  general.  And  he  was  much  assisted  in 
the  execution  of  this  design,  by  the  labours  of  many 
learned  protestants  of  the  Germanic  schools  from  Italy  and 
Great  Britain,  who  brought  with  them  an  attachment  to 
the  Peripatetic  system,  and,  wherever  they  were  appointed 
public  preceptors,  made  that  system  the  basis  of  tlpeir 
philosophical  instructions.  From  Wittemberg,  Tubingen, 
Leipsic,  and  other  seminaries,  conducted  after  the  man- 
ner which  was  introduced  by  Melancthon,  many  learned 
men  arose,  who,  becoming  themselves  preceptors,  adopted 
the  same  plan  of  instruction,  which  from  Melancthon  was 
called  the  Philippic  method;  and  thus  disseminated  the 
Peripatetic  doctrine,  till  at  length  it  yras  almost  every 


£3  ftf  E  L  A;  N  C  T  If  Q  N. 

where  taught 4a  the  German  protectants  schools,  under  the 
sanction,  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  authority.  Considering 
the  distractions  of  his  life,  and  the  infinity  of  disputes  and 
tumults  in  which  he  was  engaged,  it  is  astonishing,  bow  be 
could  find  leisure  to  write  so  many  books.  Th^ir  number 
is  prodigious,  insomuch  that  it  was  thought  necessary  to 
publish  a  chronological  catalogue  of  them  in  1582,  They 
are  theological,  moral,  and  philosophical;  some,  however, 
relate  to  what  is  usually  denominated  the  belles  lettres, 
$nd  others  are  illustrative  of  various  classical  authors. 
The  most  complete  edition  was  published  by  the  author'* 
son-in-law,  Jasper  Peucer,  1601,  in  4  vols.  fol.  ? 

MELEAGER,  a  Greek  epigrammatic  poet,  and  the  first 
collector  of  the  epigrams  that  form  the  Greek  Anthologia^ 
was  the  son  of  Eucrates,  and  is  generally  considered  as  & 
native  of  Gadara  in  Syria,  where  be  chiefly  lived ;  but, 
according  to  Hades,  was  born  rather  at  Atthts,  an  incon- 
siderable placa,  in  the  territory  of  Gadara.    The  time  in 
which  be  lived  has  been  a  subject  of  controversy.  Vavassor, 
in  some  degree,  with  the  consent  of  Fabricius,  and  Reiske* 
in  his  Notitia  Poetarum  Anthologicorum,  p.  131,  contend, 
that  he  lived  under  Seleucus  VI.  the  last  king  of  Syria, 
who  began  to  reign  in  olym.  170.  3.  A.  C.  96.    This  is 
confirmed  by  an  old  Greek  scholiast,  who  says,  YiHpoureY.bri 
£«*fws  tS  Icrxom.   "  He  flourished  under  Seleucus  the  last." 
Saxius  accordingly  inserts  his  name  at  the  year  above* 
mentioned.     Some  would  carry  him  back  to  the  1 48th 
olympiad,  A.  C.  186,  which,  however,  is  not  incompatible 
with  the  other  account;  and  Schneider  would  bring  him 
down  to  the  age  of  Augustus,  from  a  supposed  imitation  of 
an  epigram  of  Strato,  who  lived  then.     But,  as  it  may 
equally  be  supposed  that  Strato  imitated  him,  this  argu- 
ment is  of  little  validity.     One  of  his  epigrams  in  praise  of 
Antipater  Sidonius,  seems  to  prove  that  he  wa&  contetn* 
porary  with  hiip  (Epig.  exxiii.  ed.  Brunck.)  and  another*, 
in  which  he  speaks  of  the  fall  of  Corinth  as  a  recent  event, 
which  happened  in  olym.  158.  4.  may  be  thought  to  fix  him 
also  to  that  time.     As  he  calls  himself  xoTvimg,  or  aged,  in 
one  of  his  compositions,  there  will  be  no  inconsistency  be- 
tween these  marks,  and  the  account  of  the  scholiast. 
In  his  youth,  Meleager  lived  chiefly  at  Gadara,  and  inri- 

1'  Melchior  Adam. — Life  of  Melancthon,  by  Camerarius.— .Bru'cker.  We  are 
happy  to  tied  tbat  the  public  may  soon  expect  a  very  elaborate*  life  of  this  great 
reformer,  from  the  rev.  Aulay  Macaulay,  vicar  of  Rotbley,  co.  Leicester. 


ti\  L  E  A  G  fc  R. 


23 


tmted  the  style  and  manner  of  Menippus,  who  bad  lived 
before  him  in  the  same  city.  He  afterwards  resided  at 
Tyre ;  bat  in  his  old  age,  on  account  of  the  wars  which 
then  ravaged  Syria,  be  changed  bis  abode  to  the  island  of 
Cos*  where  he  died.  In  the  Anthologia  are  extant  three 
epitaphs  upon  this  poet,  two  of  which,  at  least,  are  sup- 
posed to  have  befcn  written  by  himself.  Of  one  there  can 
be  no  doubt  from  internal  evidence,  "  No**;  94a,"  &c. 

There  was  a  Cynic  of  Gadara,  of  the  name  of  Meleager, 
whom  some  confound  with  this  poet,<and  others  distinguish ; 
it  seems  very  unlikely  that  this  elegant  writer  was  a  Cynic. 
Meleager  formed  two  collections  of  Greek  verses,  under 
the  name  of  Anthologia ;  one,  it  is  melancholy  to  say,  was 
entirely  dedicated  to  that  odious  passion  of  the  Greeks, 
which  among  us  it  is  a  shame  even  to  mention.  To  tt>is 
infamous  collection  was  prefixed  a  poem,  still  extant,  in 
which  the  youths  whose  beauty  was  celebrated,  are  de- 
scribed as  flowers.  A  poet  named  Strato;  increased  this 
collection,  and  prefixed  to  it  his  own  name :  but  A  gat  bias 
and  Planudes,  to  their  honour,  rejected  this  part  altoge- 
ther, and  formed  their  collections  from  the  second  Antho- 
logia of  Meleager,  #hich  consisted  of  compositions  entirely 
miscellaneous.  On  this  the  present  collections  of  Greek 
epigrams  are  founded.  The  poems  of  Meleager  in  Brunck*s 
edition,  amount  to  129;  the  greater  part  of  which  are  epi- 
grams. They  display  great  elegance  of  genius,  and  do  as 
much  honour  to  thfe  collection,'  as  most  of  those  which  i( 
contains.  Lord  Chesterfield's  indiscriminate  censure  of 
the  Greek  epigrams,  must  be  the  result  of  mere  ignorance, 
since  many  of  them  are  of  the  highest  elegance.  He  had 
seen,  probably,  a  few  of  the  worst,  and,  knew  nothing  of 
tbe  rest.  Of  the  epigrams  of  Meleager,  many  are  truly 
elegant,  but  those  numbered,  in  Brandt's  Analects,  50, 
51,  52,  5Si  57,  58,  61,  63,  109,  lllr  112,  and  several 
others,  have  beauty  enough  to  rescue  the  whole  collection 
from  tbe  unjust  censure  of  the  witty,  but  not  learned  earl.1 

RiELETlUS,  bishop  of  LycopoKs  in  Thebais,  who  is 
known  in  church  history  as  the  chief  of  the  sect  of  Mele- 
tians,  was  convicted  of  sacrificing  to  idols,  during  the  Dio- 
clesian  persecution,  and  imprisoned  and  degraded  by  a 
council  held  by  Peter,  bishop  of  Alexandria.     Upon  his 

1  Hades  in  edit.  Fabric.  Bibl.  Graec.  vol.  IV.  p.  416.— Schneider  Peric.  Criti- 
cum,  p.  65.<— gaxii  Odomast.       . ,  ' 


24  MELETltfS. 

release,  Meletius  caused  a  schism  about  the  year  301,  se- 
parating himself  from  Peter,. and  the  other  bishops,  charg- 
ing them,  but  particularly  Peter,  with  too  much  indulgence 
in  the  reconciliation  of  apostates.  By  the  council  of  Nice, 
A.  D.  325,  he  was  permitted  to  remain  in  his  own  city, 
Lycopolis,  but  without  the  power  either  of  electing,  or 
ordaining,  or  appearing  upon  that  account  either  in  the 
country  or  city ;  so  that  he  retained  only  the  mere  title  of 
bishop.  His  followers  at  this  time  were  united  with  the 
Arians.  Meletius  resigned  to  Alexander,  bishop  of  Alex- 
andria, the  churches  oyer  which  he  bad  usurped  supe- 
riority, and  died  some  time  after.  When  he  was  dying, 
he  named  one  of  his  disciples  his  successor.  Thus  the 
schism  began  again,  and  the  Meletians  subsisted  as  far  as 
the  fifth  century,  but  were  condemned  by  the  first  council 
of  Nice.1 

MELISSUS,   a  philosopher  of  Samos,  of  the  Eleattc 
sect,  who  flourished  about  the  year  444  B.  C.  was  a  dis- 
ciple of  Par  men  ides,  to  whose  doctrines  he  closely  adhered. 
He  was  likewise  a  man  of  political  wisdom  and  courage, 
which  gave  him  great  influence  among  his  countrymen, 
and  inspired  them  with  a  high  veneration  for  his  talents 
and  virtues.     Being  appointed  by  them  to  the  command  of 
a  fleet,  he  obtained  a  great  naval  victory  over  the  Athe- 
nians.    As  a  philosopher,  he  maintained  that  the  principle 
'  of  all  things  is  one  and  immutable,  or  that  whatever  exists 
is  one  being ;  that  this  one  being  includes  all  things,  and 
Is  infinite,  without  beginning  or  end ;  that  there  is  neither 
vacuum  nor  motion  in  the  universe,  nor  any  such  thing  as 
production  or  decay,  that  the  changes  which  it  seems  to 
suffer,  are  only  illusions  of  our  senses,  and  mere  appear- 
ances ;  and  that  we  ought  not  to  lay  down  any  thing  posi- 
tively concerning  the  gods,  since  our  knowledge  of  them 
is  so  uncertain*    Dr.  Cudworth,  in  his  "  Intellectual  Sys- 
tem," has  opposed  these  opinions.' 

MELITO,  an  ancient  Christian  father,  was  bishop  of 
Sardis  in  Asia,  and  composed  several  works  upon  the  doc- 
trine and  discipline  of  the  church ;  of  which'  we  have  no- 
thing now  remaining  but  their  titles,  and  some  fragments 
preserved  by  Eusebius,  in  his  Ecclesiastical  Hist,  book  IV. 
The  most  valuable  of  these  is  part  of  an  humble  petition, 
which  be  presented  to  the  emperor  Marcus  Antoninus ;  in 

i  Cave,  vol.  I.—Dupin.— Lardnert  Works.  f  Bradcer.— Moreru 


MELITO.  &5 

which  be  beseeches  him,"  to  examine  the  accusations 
which  were  brought  against  the  Christians,  and  to  stop  the 
persecution,  by  revoking  the  edict  which  he  had  published 
against  them."     He  represents  to  him,  that  "  the  Roman 
empire  was  so  far  from  being  injured  or  weakened  by 
Christianity,    that  its   foundation  was  more  firmly  esta- 
blished, and  its  bounds  considerably  enlarged,  since  that 
religion  had  taken  footing  in  it ;"  that  "  the  Christian  re- 
ligion had  been  persecuted  by  none  but  the  worst  empe- 
rors, such  as  Nero  and  Domitian ;  that  Adrian  and  Anto- 
ninus had  granted  privileges  in  its  favour ;  and  that  he 
hoped*  from  his  clemency  and  goodness,  that  they  should 
obtain  the  same  protection  of  their  lives  and  propertiea 
from  him.19     This  petition  was  presented,   according  to 
Eusebius,  in  the  year  170;  but  other  authors  give  it  the 
date  of  175  or  177,  and  Dupin  182.     Melito  died  before 
the  pontificate  of  Victor,  probably  about  the  year  192,  as 
we  learn  from  a  letter  of  Polycrates  to  that  pope,  where  he 
speaks  of  Melito  as  of  a  man  dead,  and  in  the  following 
terms  :  "  What  shall  I  say  of  Melito,  whose  actions  were 
aH  guided  by  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  who  was 
interred  at  Sardis,  where  he  waits  the  resurrection  and  the 
judgment'9     He  passed,  it  seems,  for  a  prophet  in  hit 
day;  that  is,  for  a  man  inspired  by  God;  according  to 
the  testimony  of  Tertullian,  as  Jerome  represents  it.    The 
same  Tertullian  observes  also,    that  he  was  an  elegant 
writer  and  a  good  orator ;  which,  however,  it  would  not 
be  easy  to  discover  from  the  fragments  that  remain  of  him.1 
MELLAN  (Claude),  a  French  engraver  and  designer, 
particularly  celebrated  for  a  mode  of  engraving  peculiar  to 
himself,  and  of  his.  own  invention,  that  of  forming  a  whole 
head  by  one  line  of  the  graver,  swelling  it  in  various  places 
to  produce  the  shades.     A  head  of  our  Saviour,  formed  of 
one  spiral  line,  beginning  at  the  tip  of  the  nose,  is  his 
most  famous  work  in  this  style.    There  are  also  portraits 
by  him,  of  pope  Clement  VIII.  and  of  the  marquis  Justi- 
niani,  and  a  set  of  the  Justiniani  gallery,  all  of  which  are 
highly  esteemed.    Charles  II.  was  desirous  of  inviting  bias 
to  settle  in  England ;  but  an  attachment  to  his  country,  and 
a  happy  marriage  in  it,  fixed  him  at  home.     He  was  bom 
at  Abbeville  in  1601,  and  died  at  Paris  in  1688.* 

1  Dopin.—- Mosheiuu— Lardner'i  Works. 
*  Strait's  Diet.— Moreri.— Diet.  Hist 


M  MtLMOTH, 

MELMOTH  (William*  esq.),   a  learned  fcnd  worthy 
bencher  of  Lincoln's-inn,  was  born  in  1666.     In  conjonc- 
tion  with  Mr.  Peere  Williams,  Mr.  Melmotb  was  the  pub- 
lisher of  "  Vernon's  Reports,"  under  an  order  of  tbfe  court 
vf  chancery.   He  bad  once  an  intention  of  printing  bis  own 
"  Reports ;"  and  a  short  time  before  his  death,  advertised 
thenrat  the  end  of  those  of  bis  coadjutor  Peere  Williams, 
as  then  actually  preparing  for  tbe  press.    Thcfy  have,  bow- 
ever,  not  yet  made  their  appearance.     But  the  perform- 
ance for  which  he  justly  deserves  to  be  held  in  perpetual 
remembrance,  is*  "  The  Great  Importance  of  a  Religious 
Life."     It  is  a  singular  circumstance  that  the  real  authofr 
of  this  most  admirable  treatise  should  never  hate  been 
publicly  known   until  mentioned   in    the  Anecdotes    of 
Bowyer.     It  was  ascribed  by  Walpole  in  his  "  Royal  and 
Noble  Authors,"  to  the  first  earl  of  Egmont.     Of  this  work 
Mr.  Melmoth's  son  says,  in  tbe  short  preface  which  accom* 
panies  it,  that  "  It  may  add  weight,  perhaps,  to  the  re- 
flections contained  in  the  following  pages,  to  inform  the 
reader,  that  the  author's  life  was  one  uniform  exemplar  of 
those  precepts,  which,  with  so  generous  a  zeal,  and  such 
an  elegant  and  affecting  simplicity  of  style,  he  endeavours 
to  recommend  to  general  practice.     He  left  othets  to  con- 
tend for  modes  of  faith,  and  inflame  themselves  and  the 
world  with  endless  controversy ;  it  was  tbe  wiser  purpose 
of  his  more  ennobled  aim,  to  act  up  to  those  clear  rules  of 
conduct  whicb  Revelation  hath  graciously  prescribed.     He 
possessed  by  temper  every  moral  virtue ;  by  religion  every 
Christian  grace.     He  had  a  humanity  that  melted  at  every 
distress;  a  charity  which  not  only  thought  no  evil,  but 
suspected  none.     He  exercised  his  profession  with  a  skill 
and  integrity,  which  nothing  could  equal,  but  the  disin- 
terested motive  that  animated  his  labours,  or  the  amiable 
modesty  which  accompanied  all  his  virtues.     He  employed 
bis  industry,  not  to  gratify  his  own  desire*;  no  man  in- 
dulged himself  less :  not  to  accumulate  useless  wealth ;  no 
man  more  disdained  so  tin  worthy  a  pursuit :  it  was  for  the 
decent  advancement  of  his  family,  for  the  generous  assist- 
ance of  bis  friends,  for  the  ready  relief  of  the  indigent:. 
♦How  often  did  he  exert  his  distinguished  abilities,  yet  re- 
fuse the  reward  of  them,  in  defence  of  the  widow,  the  fa* 
JJicrlesS)  and  him  that  had  none  to  help  him  !    In  a  word,  few 
have  ever  passed  a  rpore  useful,  not  one  a  more  blameless 
life ;  and  his  whole  time  was  employed  either  in  doing 


MELMOTH.  & 

good,  or.  in  mod ita ting  it.  He  died  on  the  6th  day  of 
April,  1743,  and  lies  buried  under  the  cloister  of  Lincoln's- 
inn  chapel."  This  passage  is  repeated  in  a  short  tract  en* 
titled  "Memoirs  of  a  late  eminent  Advocate,"  published  in 
1796,  in  which  the  character  of  his  father  is  rather  more 
unfolded.  We  learn  from  this  tract,  that  Mr.Melmptk 
**  from  early  youth  performed  the  paipful  but  indispensable 
duty  of  communing  with  his  own  heart,  with  the  severest 
and  most  impartial  scrutiny."  This  appears  by  a  copy  of 
a  letter  from  some  eminent  casuit,  whom  he  had. consulted 
respecting  certain  religious  scruples.  He  was  afterwards 
perplexed  respecting  taking  the  oaths  at  the  revolution, 
which  happened  when  he  had  the  prospect  of  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar.  On  this  occasion  he  consulted  the  cele- 
brated Mr.  Norris  of  Bemerton,  and  a  correspondence  took 
place,  part  of  which  is  published  in  the  "  Memoirs."  It 
is  probable  that  he  was  at  last  convinced  of  the  lawfulness 
of  the  oaths,  as  he  was  called  to  the  bar  in  1693.  There 
are  other  letters  and  circumstances  given  in  these  w  Me-* 
moirs,"  which  tend  to  raise  the  character  of  Mr.  Melmoth 
as  a  man  of  sincerity  and  humility,  not,  however,  perhaps, 
unmixed  with  what  may  now  be  reckoned  a  degree  of  su- 
perstitious weakness. 

With  respect  to  his  '<  Great  Importance,"  it  may  be 
added,  to  the  credit  of  the  age,  that  above  100,00,0  copies 
have  been  sold  since  the  author's  death.1 
'  MELMOTH  (William),  son  of  the  above,  by  his  se- 
cond wife,  was  born  in  1710.  Of  his  early  history  little  is 
known.  He  probably  received  a  liberal  education,  although 
we  do  not  find  that  he  studied  at  either  university.  He 
was  bred  to  the  law,  as  appears  by  his  being  appointed  a 
commissioner  of  bankrupts  in  1756,  by  sir  John  Eardley 
Wilraot,  at  that  time  one  of  the  commissioners  of  the  great 
seal,  and  an  excellent  discerner  and  rewarder  of  merit. 
The  greater  part  of  Mr.  Melmoth's  life,  however,  was 
spent  in  retirement  from  public  business,  partly  at  sh*ews~ 
bury,  and  partly  at  Bath,  where  he  was  no  less  distinguished 
for  integrity  of  conduct,  than  for  polite  manners  and  ele- 
gant taste.  He  first  appeared  as  a  writer  about  1742,  m 
a  volume  of  "  Letters"  under  the  name  of  Fitzosborne, 
Which  have  been  much  admired  for  the  elegance  of  thetr 

i  Nichols's  Bowyer.— Memoirs  by  his  son— For  «>  ""«*  <*  a   SocmA1i- 
edition  of  the  Great  Importance,  see  Gent.  Mag.  vol.  LXXA1H. 


2S  ^ELJTOTH. 

language,  and  their  just  and  liberal  remarks  on  various  to- 
pics, moral  and  literary.  In  1747  he  published  "A  Trans* 
lation  of  the  Letters  of  Pliny,"  in  2  vols.  8vo,  which  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  best  versions  of  a  Latin  author  that 
bad  appeared  in  our  language.  In  1753,  he  gave  a  trans- 
kttion  of  the  "  Letters  of  Cicero  to  several  of  his  Friends, 
with  Remarks,"  in  3  vols.  He  had  previously  to  this,  writ- 
ten an  answer  to  Mr.  Bryant's  attack,  in  his  Treatise  on 
the  Truth  of  the  Christian  Religion,  on  bis  remarks  on 
Trajan's  Persecution  of  the  Christians  in  Bithynia,  which 
made  a  note  to  his  translation  of  Pliny's  Letters.  He  was 
the  translator  likewise  of  Cicero's  treatises  "  De  Amicitia" 
*nd  "De  Senectute,"  which  were  published  in  1773  and 
1777.  These  he  enriched  with  remarks,  literary  and  phi- 
losophical, which  added  much  to  their  value.  In  the  for- 
mer he  refuted  lord  Shaftesbury,  who  had  imputed  it  as  a 
defect  to  Christianity,  that  it  gave  no  precepts  in  favour 
of  friendship,  and  Soame  Jenyns,  who  had  represented  that 
very  omission  as  a  proof  of  its  divine  origin.  The  con-* 
eluding  work  of  Mr.  Melmoth  was  a  tribute  of  filial  affec- 
tion, in  the  Memoirs  of  his  father,  which  we  have  already 
noticed.  After  a  long  life  passed  in  literary  pursuits,  and 
the  practice  of  private  virtue,  Mr.  Melmoth  died  at  Bath, 
March  15,  1799,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine.  He  had  been 
twice  married  ;  first  to  the  daughter  of  the  celebrated  Dr. 
King,  principal  of  St.  Mary's- hall,  Oxford,  and  secondly  to 
Mrs.  Ogle.  The  author  of  "  The  Pursuits  of  Literature" 
says,  "  Mr.  Melmoth  is  a  happy  example  of  the  mild  in- 
fluence of  learning  on  a  cultivated  mind  ;  I  mean  that 
learning  which  is  declared  to  be  the  aliment  of  yputh,  and 
the  delight  and  Consolation  of  declining  years.  Who  would 
not  envy  this  fortunate  old  man,  his  most  finished  trans- 
lation and  comment  on  Tully's  Cato?  Or  rather,  who  would 
not  rejoice  in  the  refined  and  mellowed  pleasure  of  so  ac- 
complished a  gentleman,  and  so  liberal  a  scholar  ?"  Dr. 
Warton,  in  a  note  on  Pope's  works,  mentions  his  translation 
of  Pliny  as  "  one  of  the  few  that  are  better  than  the  origi- 
nal.9' Birch,  in  his  Life  of  Tillotson,  had  made  nearly  the 
same  remark,  which  was  the  more  liberal  in  Birch,  as  Mel- 
moth had  taken  great  liberties  with  the  style  of  Tillotson. 
To  Mr.  Melmoth' s  other  works  we  may  add  a  few  poetical 
efforts,  one  in  Dodsley's  Poems  (vol., I.  p.  216,  edit.  1782), 
entitled  "  Of  active  and  retired  life ;"  and  three  in 
Pearch's  poems  (vol.  II.)  "  The  Transformation  of  Lycon 


MfcLMOTH.  29 

and  Euphormius }"  a  <*  Tale,"  in  p.  149;  and  u  Epistle  to 
Sappho.'7 1 

MELOZZO  (Francis,  or  Francesco),  called  Melozzo 
of  Forli,  flourished  about  1471,  and  was  probably  the  scho- 
lar of  Ansovino  da  Forli,  a  pupil  of  Squarcione.  The  me- 
mory of  Melozzo  is  venerated  by  artists  as  the  inventor  of 
perspective  representation  and  true  foreshortening  on 
arched  roofs  and  ceilings,  of  what  the  Italians  style  "  dt 
Sotto  in  S6  ;"  the  most  difficult  and  most  rigorous  branch 
of  execution.  A  tolerable  progress  had  been  made  in  per* 
spective  after  Paolo  Uccello,  by  means  of  Piero  delia 
Francesca,  an  eminent  geometrician,  and  some  Lombards  ; 
but  the  praise  of  painting  roofs  with  that  charming  illusion 
which  we  witness,  belongs  to  Melozzo.  Scannelli  and 
Orlandi  relate,  that,  to  learn  the  art,  he  studied  the  best 
antiques;  and,  though  born  to  affluence,  let  himself  as 
servant  and  colour- grinder  to  the  masters  of  his  time.  Some 
make  him  a  scholar  of  Piero  del  la  Francesco :  it  is  at  least 
not  improbable  that  Melozzo  knew  him  and  Agostino  di 
Bramantino,  when  they  painted  in  Rome m  for  Nicolas  V. 
towards  1455.  Whatever  be  the  fact,  Melozzo  painted  on 
the  vault  of  the  largest  chapel  in  SS.  Apostoii,  an  Ascen- 
sion, in  which,  says  Vasari,  the  figure  of  Christ  is  so  well 
foreshortened,  that  it  seems  to  pierce  the  roof.  That  pic- 
ture was  painted  for  cardinal  Riario,  nephew  of  Sixtus  IV. 
about  1472  ;  and  at  the  rebuilding  of  that  chapel,  was  cut 
out  and  placed  in  the  palace  of  the  Quirinal,  171 1,  where 
it  is  still  seen  with  this  epigraphe:  "  Opus  Melotii  Foro- 
liviensis,  qui  summos  fornices  pingendi  artem  vel  primus 
invenit  vel  illustravit."  Some  heads  of  the  apostles  were 
likewise  sawed  out  and  placed  in  the  Vatican.  His  taste 
ton  the  whole  resembles  that  of  Mantegna  and  the  Padouan 
schools  more  than  any  other.  The  heads  are  well  formed, 
well  coloured,  well  turned,  and  almost  always  foreshor- 
tened ;  the  lights  duly  toned  and  opportunely  relieved  by 
shadows  which  give  ambience  and  almost  motion  to  his 
figures  on  that  space;  there  is  grandeur  and  dignity  in  the 
principal  figure,  and  the  Kgbtsome  drapery  that  surrounds 
him ;  with  finish  of  pencil,  diligence,  and  grace  in  every 
part.  It  is  to  be  lamented,  that  so  uncommon  a  genius 
has  not  met  with  an  exact  historian,  of  whom  we  might 
have  learned  his  travels  and  labours  previous  to  this  great 

I  Nichols's  Bowyer. 


59  M  E  L  O  3  Z  Q. 

work  painted  fgr  Riarip*  At  Forti,  they  shew,  as  his  work, 
the  front  of  an  apothecary's  shop,  painted  in  arabesque,  of 
exquisite  style,  with  a,balf-length  figure  over  the  door 
pounding  drugs,  very  well  executed.  We  are  informed 
by  Vasari,  that  Francesco  di  Mirozzo  da  Forli  painted  be* 
fore  Dossq,  in  the  villa  of  the  dukes  of  Urbino,  called 
L'lmperiale  ; — we  ought  probably  to  read  Melozzo,  and  to 
correct  the  word  in  the  text,  as  one  of  that  writer's  usual 
negligences,  of  which  Vasari  gives  another  instance  ift 
Marco  Palmegiani,  of  Forli,  whom  be  transforms  to  Par* 
megiauq ;  a  good  and  almost  unknown  artist,  though  many 
of  his  works  survive,  and  be  himself  seems  to  have  taken 
$very  precaution  not  to  be  forgotten  by  posterity,  inscribing 
*no$t  pf  bis  altar-pieces  and  oil-pictures  with  Marcus  pictor 
Joroliviensis,  or,  Marcus  Palmasanus  P.  Foroliviensis  pin* 
^eb^t.  Seldom  he  adds  the  year,  as  in  two  belonging  to 
prince  Ercplain,  1513  and  1537.  In  those,  and  in  his 
works  at  Forli,  we  recognise  two  styles.  The  first  differs 
little  from  the  common  one  of  Quattrocentist's,  in  the  ex-* 
trjeme  simplicity  of  attitude,  iu  the  gilding,  in  minute  at* 
tension,  and  even  in  anatomy,  which  extended  its  re-» 
&Q$r$hes  at  that  time,  seldom  beyond  a  S.  Sebastian,  or  a 
S.  Jerome.  Of  bis  second  style  the  groups,  are  more  arti-» 
ficial,  the  outline  larger,  the  proportions  grander,  but  the 
beads  perhaps  less  varied  and  more  mannered.  He  used 
to  admit  into  his  principal  subject  others  that  do  not  belong 
to  it:  thus  in  the  crucifix  at  StAgostino,  in  Forli,  he 
placed  two  or  three  groups  in  different  spots ;  in  one  of 
which  is  &  Paul  visited  by  S.  Anthony  ;  in  another,  S.  Au-r 
gu$}ine  convinced,  by  an  angel,  of  the  absurdity  of  his  at* 
tempt  to  fathom  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity  ;  and  in  those 
small  figures  he  is  finished  and  graceful  beyond  belieft 
Nor  is  bis  landscape  or  his  architecture  destitute  of  charms^ 
His  works  abound  in  Romsagna,  and  are  met  with  even  in 
Venetian  galleries :  at  Vicenza  there  is,  in  the  palace  Vi* 
centini,  a  Christ  of  his  between  Nicodemus  and  Joseph ; 
an  exquisite  performance,  in  which,  to  speak  with  Dante, 
t "  ii  morto  par  roorto  e  vivi  i  vivi.1 

MELVIL  (Sir  James),  a  statesman  and  historian,  was  de* 
scended  from  an  honourable  family  in  Scotland,  and  born  at 
Halhill  in  Fifeshire,  in  1530.  At  fourteen,  he  was  sent  by 
the  queen  regent  of  Scotland,  to  be  page  to  ber  daughter 

i  By  Fuselt  in  Pilkington. 


MELVIL  §1 

Mary,  who  was  then  married  to  the  dauphin  of  France: 
but  by  her  leave  be  entered  into  the  service  of  the  duke  of 
Montmorenci,  great  constable  and  chief  minister  of  France, 
who  earnestly  desired  him  of  her  majesty,  having  a  high 
opinion  of  his  promising  talents.  He  was  nine  years  em1 
ployed  by  him,  and  had  a  pension  settled  on  him  by  tt)Q 
king-  Then,  obtaining  leave  to  travel,  he  went  into  Ger-? 
ro&ny ;  where  being  detained  by  the  elector  palatine,  h$ 
resided  at  his  court  three  years,  and  was  employed  by  hint 
on  several  embassies.  After  this.)  prosecuting  his  intend 
tions  to  travel,  he  visited  Venice,  Rome,  and  the  mosf 
famous  cities  of  Italy,  and  returned  through  Switzerland 
to  the  elector's  court;  where,  finding  a  summons  frpai 
qu^ en  Mary,  who  had  taken  possession  of  the  crown  of 
Scotland,  after  the  death  of  her  husband  Francis,  If,  he  sel( 
out  to  attend  her.  The  queen-mother  of  France  at  tbft 
same  time  offered  him  a  large  pension  to  reside  at  hec 
court  i  for  she  found  it  her  interest,  at  that  juncture,  to 
keep  up  a  good  understanding  with  the  protestanfc  princes 
of  Gerptany ;  and  she  knew  sir  James  Melvil  to  be  the 
prop^rest  person  to  negotiate  her  affairs,  being  mpst  qq^ 
ceptabl?  to  t hap. all ;  hut  this  he  declined. 

Upon  his  arrival  in  {Scotland,  in  15.6),  he  was  admitted 
a  privy- counsellor  and  gentleman  of  queen  Mary's  bed- 
chamber ;  and  was  employed  by  her  majesty  in  her  mo** 
important  concerns,  till  her  unhappy  confinement  at  L,o<?h^ 
leyen ;  all  which  be  discharged  with  an  exact  fidelity ;  and 
from  his  own  account  there  is  reason  to  think  that,  had  she 
takep  bis  advice,  many  of  her  misfortunes  might  hayq  been 
avoided.  He  maintained  a  correspondence  in  England  in* 
favour  of  Mary's  succession  to  the  crown  of  that  kingdpm  V 
but  upon. the  discovery  of  her  unhappy  partiality  for  Both*? 
well,  after  her  husband's  murder,  be  ventured  upon  the. 
strongest  remonstrances  with  her,  which  she  not  only  dis- 
regarded, but  communicated  them  to  Bothwell,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  MeiviPs  endeavours  were  fruitless,  and 
he  was  himself,  obliged  to  escape  from  Both  well's  fury*. 
He  was,  however,  afterwards  regarded  by  the  four  succes- 
sive regents  in  a  special  manner,  and  trusted  by  them  with; 
i^gociations  of  the  greatest  moment ;  though,  after  the 
qqeep's  imprisonment,  he .  had  ever  adhered .  to  her  son*. 
When  James  came  to  the  government,  Melvil  was  espe- 
cially recommended  to  him  by  the  queen,  then  a  prisoner 
in  England,  as  one  most  faithful,  and  capable  of  doing  him 


3*  MELVIL 

service :  and  was  made  by  his  majesty  a  member  of  bis 
privy  council,  of  his  exchequer,  and  a  gentleman  of  his 
chamber.  He  always  continued  in  favour  and  employment? 
and  the  king  would  gladly  have  taken  bim  into  England,  at 
the  death  of  Elizabeth,  promising  him  considerable  pro- 
motion :  but  sir  James,  now  advanced  in  years,  and  desi- 
rous of  retirement  from  business,  begged  his  majesty  to 
excuse  him.  He  thought  it  right,  however,  to  pay  his 
duty  to  his  majesty,  and  accordingly  went  to  England  :  and 
then  returning  to  his  own  house,  be  died  soon  after,  in 
1606. 

His  "  Memoirs"  were  accidentally  found  in  the  castle  of 
Edinburgh,  in  1660,  somewhat  imperfect,  and  injured  by 
time  and  civil  confusion.  They  passed  thence  into  the 
hands  of  sir  James  Melvil  of  Halhill,  the  author's  grandson, 
from  whom  the  editor  George  Scott  received  them,  and 
published  them  in  1683,  in  folio,  under  this  title,. "  The 
Memoirs  of  sir  James  Melvil,  of  Halhill,  containing  an  im- 
partial account  of  most  of  the  remarkable  affairs  of  state, 
during  the  last  age,  not  mentioned  by  other  historians  r 
more  particularly  relating  to  the  kingdoms  of  England  and 
Scotland,  under  the  reigns  of  queen  Elizabeth,  Maryqueetr 
of  Scots,  and  king  James :  in  all  which  transactions  the 
author  was  personally  and  publicly  concerned.  Now  pub- 
lished from  the  original  manuscript."  There  U  an  epistle 
to  the  reader,  prefixed  by  the  editor,  from  which  we  have 
made  this  extract.  It  is  remarkable,  that  nobody  knew  bow 
these  memoirs  came  to  be  deposited  in  the  castle  of  Edin- 
burgh, or  when  they  were  so :  and  also,  that  they  were 
preserved  almost  entire,  in  a  place  which  cotild  not  secure 
the  public  records  of  the  kingdom  from  the  rude  incur* 
aions  of  civil  discord.  Notwithstanding  some  mistakes, 
owing  to  the  advanced  age  of  the  writer,  they  are  much 
esteemed,  and  have  been  reprinted  both  in  French  and 
English.1 

MEMNON,  a  Greek  historian,  who  is  thought  to  have 
flourished  in  the  time  of  Augustus,  wrote  a  history  of  the 
affairs  of  Heraclea  in  Pontus,  sixteen  books  of  which  were 
abridged  by  Photius.  They  come  down  to  the  death  of  an 
Horaclean  ambassador  to  Julius  Caesar,  then  emperor.  A 
Latin  translation  of  his  history  was  published  at  Oxford  in 

1  Preface  and  Memoirs.— Robertson's  Hist,  of  Scotland,— Laing's  Prelim**; 
nary  Dissertation  to  his  History  of  Scotland. 


M  E  M  N  O  N.  S3 

1597,  under  the  title  "  Memhonis  histortcorum,  quae  su- 
persunt  omnia,  eGr.  in  Lat.  traducta  per  R.  Brett/9  16 mo. 
Richard  Brett  was  a  fellow  of  Lincoln,  of  whom  we  have 
given  some  account  in  vol.  VI.1 

MENAGE  (Giles,  or  jEgidius),  called,  from  his  great 
learning,  the  Varro  of  his  times,  was  born  at  Angers,  Aug. 
15,  1613.     He  was  the  son  of  William  Menage,  the  king's 
advocate  at  Angers ;  and  discovered  so  early  an  inclinat 
tion  to  letters,    that  his  father  was  determined  to  spare 
no  cost  or  pains  in  his  education.     He  was  accordingly 
taught  the  belles  lettres  and  philosophy,  in  which  his  pro* 
gress  fully  answered  the  expectations  of  his  father,  who, 
however,  thought  it  necessary  to  divert  him  from  too  se- 
vere application,  by  giving  him  instructions  in  music  and 
dancing ;  but  these  were  in  a  great  measure  thrown  away, 
and  he  had  so  little  genius  for  music,  that  he  never  could 
learn  a  tune.  •  He  had  more  success  in  his  first  profession, 
which  was  that  of  a  barrister  at  law,  and  pleaded  various 
causes,  with  considerable  eclat,  both  in  the  country,  and 
in  the  parliament  of  Paris*    His  father  had  always  designed 
him  for  his  profession,  the  law,   and  now  resigned  his 
place  of  king's  advocate  in  his  favour,  which  Menage,'  as 
soon  as  he  became  tired  of  the  law,    returned  to  him. 
Considering  the  law  as  a  drudgery,  he  adopted  the  vulgar 
opinion  that  it  was  incompatible  with  an  attention  to  polite 
•literature.     He  now  declared  his  design  of  entering  into 
the  church,  as  the  best  plan  he  could  pursue  for  the  gra- 
tification of  his  love  of  general  literature,  and  of  the  com- 
pany of  literary  men ;  and  soon  after  he  had  interest  to 
procure  sortie  benefices,  and  among  the  rest  the  deanery 
of  St.  Peter  at  Angers.     In  the  mean  time  his  father,  dis« 
pleased  at  him  for  deserting  his  profession,  *  would  not 
supply  him  with  the  money  which,  in  addition  to  what  bis 
livings  produced,  was  necessary  to  support  him  at  Paris. 
This  obliged  him  to  look  out  for  some  means  of  subsistence 
there,  independent  of  his  family  ;  and  at  the  recommen- 
dation of  Cbapelain,  a  member  of  the  French  academy,  he 
.  was  taken  into  the  family  of  cardinal  de  Retz,  who  was  then 
only  coadjutor  to  the  archbishop  of  Paris.    In  this  situation 
he  enjoyed  the  repose  necessary  to  his  studies,  and  had 
every  day  new  opportunities  of  displaying  his  abilities  and 
learning.     He  lived  several  years  with  the  cardinal ;  but 

v  *  fabric, Bibl.  Gr*c. 

VobXXlf.  D  * 


34  M  E  #  A  Q  & 

having  received  an  affront  frdtn  some  of  his  dependent?,  he 
desired  of  the  cardinal,  either  that  reparation  might  be 
made  him,  or  that  he  might  be  suffered  to  depajrt.  He 
obtained  the  latter,  and  then  hired  an  apartment  in  the 
cloister  of  Notre  Dame,  where  he  held  every  Wednesday 
an  assembly,  which  he  called  his  "  Mercuriale."  Here  hg 
had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  number  of  learned  men, 
French  and  foreigners;  and  upon  other  days  he  frequented 
the  study  of  Messieurs  du  Puy,  anid  after  tb^ir  death  tbajt 
of  Thuanus.  By  his  father's  death,  which  happened  Jaf?. 
IS,  1648,  he  succeeded  to  an  estate,  which  h£  converted 
into  an  'annuity,  for  the  sake  qf  being  entirely  at  leisure 
to  pursue  his  studies.  Soon  after,  he  obtained,  by  a  de- 
cree of  the  grand  council,  the  priory  of  Montdidier ;  which 
he  resigned  alsp  to  the  abb£  de  la  Vieuville,  afterward* 
bishop  of  Rennes,  who  procured  for  him,  by  way  of  amende 
a  pension  of  4000  livres  upon  two  abbeys.  The  king'* 
consent,  which  was  necessary  for  the  creation  of  this  pen- 
sion, was  not  obtained  for  Menage,  till  he  had  given  a**- 
suranpes  to  cardinal  Mazarin,  that  be  had  po  shaft?  in  tbe 
libels  which  had  been  dispersed  against  that  mister  and 
the  court,  during  the  troubles  at  Paris.  This  considerable 
addition  to  his  circumstances  enabled  him  to  prosecute  hi* 
studies  with  more  success,  and  to  publish  a  great  many 
works,  which,  he  generally  did  at  his  Own  expellee*  The 
excessive  freedom  of  his  conversation,  however,  and  hip" 
total  inability  to  suppress  a  witty  thought,  whatever  might 
be  the  consequence  of  uttering  it,  Created  him  many  ene- 
mies ;  and  he  had  contests  with  several  men  of  erJdjlnene^ 
who  attacked  him  at  differeut  times,  as  the  abbe  d'Aiibig- 
nac,  Boileau,  Cotin,  Salo,  Bohours,  and  Bail  let.  But  ail 
these  were  not  nearly  so  formidable  to  him,  as  the  dagger 
which  he  incurred  in  1660,  by  a  Latin  elegy  addne?$ed  t& 
Mazarin ;  in  which,  among  his  compliments  to  bis  emi- 
nence, it  was  pretended,  that  he  had  Satirized  a  deputation 
which  the  parliament  had  sent  to  that  minister,'  Itwbs 
carried  to  the  grand  chamber  by  the  counsellors,  who  pro- 
posed to  debate  upon  it ;  but  the  first  president,  Lamoig- 
non,  to  whom  Menage  had  protested  that  the  piece  had 
been  written  three  months  before  the  deputation,  and  that 
he  could  not  intend  the  parliament  in  it,  prevented  any  ill 
consequences  from  the  affair.  Besides, the  reputation  his 
works  gained  him,  they  procured  him  a  place  in  the  aca- 
demy della  Crusca  at  Florence ;  and  be  might  have  been 


MEN  J^G  E.  35 

a  member  of  the  French  academy  at  its  first  institution,  if 
it  had  not  been  for  his  "  Requite  des  dictiqnnaires."  When 
the  memory  of  that  piece,  however,  was  effaced  by  time, 
and  most  of  the  academicians,  who  were  named  in  it,  were 
<Jeadr  he  was,  proposed,  in  1684,  to  fill  a  vacant  place  in 
tjiat  academy,  aud  was  excluded  only  by  the  superior  inte- 
rest of  his  competitor,  M,  Bergeret ;  there  not  being  one 
Jpember,  of  all  those  who  gave  their  votes  against  Menage, 
who  did  not  own  that  he  deserved  the  place,  After  this  he 
would  not  suffer  his  friends  to  propose  him  again,  nor  in- 
deed was  he  any  longer  able  to  attend  the  academy,  if  he 
bad  been  chosep,.  on  account  of  a  fall,  which  had  put,  bis 
thigh  out  of  joint ;  after  which  he  scarcely  ever  went  out  of 
bis  chajnber,  but  held  daily  a  kind  of  an  academy  there. 
In  July  1692,  be  began  to  be  troubled  with  a  rheum,  which 
was  followed  by  a  defluxipn  on  the  stomach,  of  which  he 
died  on  the  23d,  aged  seventy-nine. 

He  composed  several  works,,  which  had  much  reputation 
in  their  day :  1.  "  Origines  de  la  langue  Frangoise,"  1650, 
4to ;  a  very  valuable  work,  reprinted  in  folio  after  his  death, 
in  1694,  enlarged  by  himself,  but  this  has  sunk  under  the 
much  improved  edition  by  Jault,  Paris,  1750,  2  vols.  fol. 
2,  "  Miscellanea,"  1652,  4tp;  a  collection  of  pieces  in 
Greek,  Latin,  and  French,  prpse  as  well  as  verse,  com- 
posed by  him  at  different  times,  and  upon  different  sub* 
jects ;  among  which  is  "  La  requite  des  dictionnaires,"  an 
ingenious  piece  of  raillery,  in  which  he  makes  all  the  dic- 
tionaries complain  that  the  academy's  dictionary  will  be 
their  utter  ruin,  and  join  in  an  humble  petition  to  prevent 
it.  It  was  not  written  from  the  least  malignity  against  the 
academy,  but  merely  to  divert  himself,  and  that  he  might 
not  lose  several  bon  mots  which  came  into  his  head  upon 
that  occasion.  He  suppressed  it  for  a  long  time ;  but  at 
last  it  was  stolen  from  bim,  and  published  by  the  abb£ 
Montreuil,  without  his  knowledge,  and  prevented  him,  as 
we  have  observed,  from  obtaining  a  place  in  the  academy, 
at  its  £rst  institution  ;  which  made  de  Monmor  say,  "  that 
he  ought  to  be  obliged  to  be  a  member,  on  account  of  that 
piece,  as  a  ma^i,  who  has  debauched  a  girl,  is  obliged  to 
marry  her."  S.  "  Osservazioni  sopra  l'Aminta  del  Tasso," 
1653,  4to.  4. "  Diogenes  Laertius  Qraece  et  Latine. cuna 
comnaentario,"  Lend.  1664,  in  folio.  Menage  published 
his  first  edition  at  Paris,  in  8vo,  1662,  and  sent  it  to  biahop 
Pearson  in  London,  who  wrote  him  a  complimentary  letter 

D2        '       ' 


S6  M  E«  AG  E. 

6f  thanks,  which  is  inserted  in  the  London  edition,  which 
js  now  a  rare  and  expensive  book.  Meibom's  edition  of 
1692  contains  Menage's  annotations,  &c.  5.  "  Poemata," 
1656,  12mo.  They  were  often  reprinted;  and  what  is 
remarkable,  his  Italian  poetry  has  been  said  to  be  esteemed 
*  even  in  Italy,  although  Menage  could  not  speak  two  words 
in  Italian.  Baretti,  however,  condemns  without  mercy 
the  Italian  verses  both  of  Menage  and  Keignier.  Morhoff 
pretends  that  he  has  borrowed  greatly  from  the  Latiu 
poems  of  Vincent  Fabricius;  and  several  have  accused 
him  of  plundering  the  ancients.  We  ought  not,  perhaps, 
to  omit  here>  that  having,  according  to  the  custom  of 
poets,  chosen  mademoiselle  de  la  Vergne,  afterwards  coun- 
tess de  la  Fayette, '  for  his  poetical  mistress,  he  gave  her 
in  Latin,  inadvertently  we  may  suppose,  the  name  of  La* 
verna,  the  goddess  of  thieves ;  aqd  this  gave  occasion  to 
the  following  epigram ; 

"  Lesbia  nulla  tibi  est,  nulla  est  tibi  dicta  Corinna : 
Carmine  Iaudatur  Cynthia  nulla  tuo. 
Sed  cum  doctorum  compiles  scrinia  vatura,  „ 
Nil  mirum,  si  sit  culta  Laverna  tibi/' 

6.  u  Recueil  des  Eloges  faits  pour  M.  Ie  cardinal  Mazarin,'* 
1666,  folio.  7. "  Origine  delta  Lingua  Iialiana,"  1669,  fof. 
He  undertook  this  work  only  to  shew  the  academy  della 
Crusca,  that  he  was  not  unworthy  of  the  place  with  which 
.they  bad  honoured  him.  Dr.  Burney  says  that  in  his. 
'•  Dictionnaire  Etymologique  de  la  Langue  Fransoise," 
and  in  his  "  Origkie  della  Lingua  Itaiiana,"  curious  in- 
quirers after  the  musical  language  of  the  middle  ages  will 
find  more  information  than  in  any  other  lexicons  dr  philo- 
sophical works  with  which  we  are  acquainted,  except  in, 
the  Glossarium  of  Ducange.  8.  "  Juris  civilis  amoenitates," 
Paris,  1677,  8vo,  reprinted  with  a  preface  by  J.  G.  Hoff- 
mann, Francfort,  1737,  8vo.  9.  "  Les  poesies  de  Ma4~ 
herbe,  avec  des  notes,"  1666,"  8vo,  reprinted  .more  thai* 
once.  10.  "  Observations  sur  la  Langue  Francois,"  1675, 
and  1676,"  in  2  vols.  12mo.  11.  H  istoi re  de  Sable,  con- 
tenant  les  seigneurs  de  la  ville  de  Sable,  jusqu'a  Louis  I, 
due  d'Anjou  et  roy  ,de  Sicile:  premiers  partie,"  1686, 
folio.  He  was  very  much  prejudiced  in  favour  of  this  his- 
tory, and  was  engaged  in  the  second  part  at  his  death.  In 
the  "  Menagiana,"  he  is  represented  as  saying,  thai  it  is 
an  incomparable  book ;  that  one  may  find  every  thing  mit; 
and  that  in  every  page  there  are  many  learned  observations; 


HENA'GE.  37 

but  the  public  have  not  been  of  this  opinion.  12.  u  His- 
toria  mulierum  philosopharum,"  Lugd.  1690,  12mo.  This 
is  reprinted  in  Meihom's  Diogenes  Laertius.  13.  "  Anti- 
jfeaillet,"  1690;  a  criticism  of  the  "  Jugemens  des  S$a- 
vans"  of  M.  Baillet,  who  in  that  work  had  spoken  of  Me- 
nage in  a  manner  that  displeased  him.  14.  "  Menagiana,*' 
sot  published  till  after  his  death,  and  printed  at  first  in  one 
volume,  afterwards  in  two.  But  M.  de  la  Monnoye  pub- 
fished  an  edition  with  great  additions,  at  Paris,  1715,  in  4* 
vols.  12 mo.  This  is  a  very  amusing  collection,  but  will 
admit  of  abridgment  without  any  injury  to  the  memory  of 
Menage. 

Menage  was  possessed  of  a  most  tenacious  memory, 
which  he  retained,  except  during  a  short  interval,  to  a 
great  age.  Among  his  *'  Poems"  is  one  addressed  to  the 
goddess  of  memory,  petitioning  her  to  restore  to  him  her 
former  favours ;  and  another,  iii  which  he  pours  forth  his 
gratitude  for  the  welcome  return.  This  uncommon  talent 
of  memory  made  Menage  a  very  agreeable  companion  to 
the  ladies,*  in  whose  company  he  took  delight,  and  for 
fthose  amusement  he  jrepeated,  with  great  readiness  and 
humour,  all  the  anecdotes,  verses,  &c.  which  he  thought 
would  entertain  the  company.  * 

MENANDER,  one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  the  an- 
cient Greek  poets,  was  born  at  Athens  in  the  year  342 
before  the  Christian  aera.  He  was  educated  in  the  school 
of  Theophrastus  the  peripatetic,  Aristotle's  successor,  and 
Began  to  write  for  the  stage  at  the  early  age  of  twenty, 
when  his  passions  seem  to  have  been  no  less  forward  and 
impetuous  than  bis  genius.  His  attachment  to  the  fair 
sex,  and  especially  to  his  mistress  Glycera,  is  upon  record, 
and  was  vehement  in  the  extreme;  several, of  his  epistles 
to  that  celebrated  courtezan,  written  in  a  very  ardent  style, 
were  collected  and  made  public  after  his  decease ;  his 
genius,  howevef,  is  thought:  to  have  been  a  greater  re- 
commendation to  Glycera' s  favour,  than  his  personal  merit, 
which  has  not  been  represented  as  favourable  to  his  ad- 
dresses, although  he  is  said  to  have  added  the  recommen- 
dations of  luxurious  dress  and  manners.  His  intrigues, 
however,  are  of  little  importance  compared  to  the  fanie  he 
acquired  as  one,  if  not  the  principal,  of  the  authors  of  the 
new  comedy,  which  if  it  possessed  less  wit  and  (ire  than  the 

1  Gen.  Diet.— Niceron,  vol.  I.  andX. — Diet.  HisU — Mtnagian^. 


it  menAnder. 

did,  was  superior  to  it  in  delicacy,  regularity,  arid  deco- 
rum, came  nearer  to  nature,  and  to  what  we  conceive  of 
the  legitimate  drama.  Among  his  contemporaries,  who 
wrote  upon  this  reformed  plan,  were  Philemon,  Diphilug, 
Apollodorus,  Philippides  and  Posidippus  ;  and  from  many 
fragments  which  remain,  it  appears  that  they  were  not 
only  bold  dedaimers  against  the  vice  and  immorality  of 
the  age  they  lived  in,  but  that  they  ventured  upon  truths 
and  doctrines  in  religion  totally  irreconcileable  to  the  po- 
pular superstition  and  idolatries  of  the  heathen  world  ;  and 
therefore,  says  Cumberland,  or  rather  Bentley,  we  cannot 
but  admire  at  the  extraordinary  toleration  of  their  pagan 
audiences. 

By  the  lowest  account  Menander  wrote  eighty  plays  ; 
but  some  authorities  more  than  double  them,  an  impro- 
bable number  to  have  been  composed  by  a  jtoet  who  died* 
at  the  age  of  fifty,  or  very  little  after ;  whatever  their 
riumbfer,  it  has  been  thought  that  morality,  taste,  and  li- 
terature, scarcely  ever  suffered  more  irreparably  than  by 
the  loss  of  them.  A  few  fragments  only  remain,  which, 
says  Warton,  ought  "  to  be  as  highly  prized  by  the  curious, 
as  was  the  Coan  Venus,  which  Apelles  left  imperfect  and 
unfinished."  Terence  is  supposed  to  have  copied  all  his 
comedies  from  Menander,  except  the  "  Phormio"  and 
<c  Hecyra  ;**  and  therefore  from  him  we  are  enabled  to 
form  some  idea  of  Menander' s  manner.  His  general  cha- 
racter we  must  still  take  from  his  contemporaries,  or  im- 
mediate successors  ;  for  all  that  we  can ,  deduce  from  his 
fragments  will  not  raise  him  to  the  high  rauk  to  which  he 
belongs.  Some  of  these  are  excellent  morals,  and  some 
of  a  more  elevated  cast,  but  the  greater  part  are  of  a  mo-r 
rose,  gloomy,  and  acrimonious  character. 

We  have  many  testimonies  to  the  admiration  in  which 
he  was  held  during  his  life- time.  Pliny  informs  us  that  the 
kings  of  Egypt  and  Macedon  gave  a  noble  testimony  to  his 
merit,  by  sending  ambassadors  to  invite  him  to  their  courts, 
and  even  fleets  to  convey  him ;  but  that  Menander  pre- 
ferred the  free  enjoyment  of  his  studies  to  the  promised 
favours  of  the  great.  Yet  the  envy  and  corruption  of  his 
countrymen  sometimes  denied  his  merit  the  justice  at  home, 
which  it  found  abroad  ;  for  he  is  said  to  have  won  but  eight 
prizes,  though  be  wrote  at  least  fourscore,  if  not,  according 
to  some  accounts,  above  an  hundred  plays.  Phi lemon,a con- 
temporary and  much  inferior  dramatic  poet,  by  the  partiality 


\ 


MtNANDER.  39 

the  judges,  often  disappointed  him  of  the  prize;  which 
made  Meftftttder  once  say  to  him,  "  Tell  me  fairly,  Phile- 
mon, if  you  do  not  blush  when  the  victory  is  decreed  to 
you  against  me  ?"  The  ancient  critics  have  bestowed  the 
highest  praises  on  Menander,  ai  the  true  pattern  of  every 
beauty  and  every  grace  of  public  speaking.  Quintilian 
declares  that  a  carefal  imitation  of  Menander  only  will 
enable  a  writer  to  comply  with  all  the  rules  in  his  Institu- 
tions. It  is  in  Menander,  that  he  would  have  his  oratot 
search  for  copiousness  of  invention,  an  elegance  of  expres- 
sion, and  especially  far  that  universal*  genius,  which  is 
Able  to  accommodate  itself  to  persons,  things,  and  affec* 
tionrf.  Menander's  wonderful  talent  at  expressing  nature 
in  every  condition,  and  under  every  accident  of  life,  gave 
occasion  to  that  extraordinary  question  of  Aristophanes  the 
grammarian :  "  O  Meftander  and  Nature,  which  of  yod 
Copied  your  pieces  from  the  other's  work  V*  And  Ovid  has 
made  choice  of  the  same  excellency  to  support  the  immor* 
tality  he  has  given  him : 

"  Dam  fidlax  servus,  durus  pater,  improba  laena, 
-  Vivet :  dxu&  meretrix  blanda,  Menander  erit." 

Menander  was  drowned  in  the  harbour  of  Piraeus,  in  the1 
year  293  B.  C.  according  to  some  accounts,  which  make 
Bim  only  forty-nine  years  of  age,  but  others,  as  we  have 
noticed,  think  he  was  a  little  above  fifty.  His  tomb,  in 
the  time  of  Pausauias,  was  to  be  seen  at  Athens,  in  the 
way  from  Piraeus  to  the  city,  close  by  the  honorary  monu- 
ment of  Euripidetf  The  fragments  and  sentences  of  Me- 
nander were  first  collected  by  Morel,  1553,  Paris,  and 
a^ain  edited  by  Henry  Stephens,  Grotius,  &c.  but  the 
best  edition  is  that  by  Le  Clerc  at  Amsterdam,  in  1 709'. 
To  which  the  "  Emendationes"  of  Phileleutherus  Lip- 
siensis/'  thatis,Dr.Bentley,  the  "Infamia  emendationum,'* 
Leiden,  1710,  by  J.  Gronovius,  and  "  Philargyrius  Can- 
tabrigiensis,"  by  De  Pauw,  must  be  considered  as  indis- 
pensable supplements,  although  it  is  spmewhat  difficult  to 
collect  the  four.  *  . 

MEN  ANDRINO  (MXasiLlo),  better  known  by  the  name 
of  Marsilius  of  Padua,  the  place  of  his  birtb,  was  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  philosophers  and  lawyers  of  the  14th 

»  Vossius  de  Poet.  Or»c Barman's  preface  to  Bentley's  Emendationes,  &c. 

—See  an  elegant  paper T>y  Warton,  Wo.  105  of  the  Adventurer  j-and  two  by 
Cumberland,  i.  e.  Beattey,  m  the  Observer,  No.  U9,  150.—  Maty'i  Review, 
▼oU  K.  p,  299. 


40  ME  N  A  N  D  R  I  N  O. 

century.  He  was  educated  at  the  university  of  Orleans ; 
was  afterwards  made  counsellor  to  the  emperor  Louis  of 
Bavaria ;  and  wrote  an  apology  entitled  "  Defensor  pacis," 
for  that  prince,  in  1324.  In  this  extraordinary  work,  for 
such  at  that  time  it  might  well  be  deemed,  he  boldly  main- 
tained that  the  pope  ought  to  submit  to  the  emperor,  not 
only  in  temporal  affairs,  but  also  in  what  regards  the  out- 
ward discipline  of  the  church.  He  described  in  strong 
colours,  the  pride,  the  luxury,  and  other  irregularities  of 
the  court  of  Rome;  and  shewed  at  large,  that  the  pope 
could  not,  by  divine  right,  claim  any  powers  or  prero- 
gatives superior  to  those  of  other  bishops.  John  XXII.  at 
that  time  filled  the  papal  chair,  and  was  so  provoked  at  this 
doctrine  of  Marsilius,  as  well  as  his  manner  of  propagating 
it,  that  he  issued  out  a  long  decree,  in  which  he  endea- 
voured to  refute  it,  and  by  which  he  excommunicated  the 
author,  in  1327.  Dupin  relates,  that  on  this  book  being 
translated  into  French  without  the  author's  name,  pope 
Gregory  XL  complained  of  it  to  the  faculty  of  divinity  at 
Paris  ;  when  the  faculty  declared,  by  an  authentic  act,  that 
none  of  their  members  had  any  hand  in  that  translation  ; 
find  that  neither  Marsilius  of  Padua,  nor  John  de  Jancle, 
who  was  likewise  thought  to  have  been  concerned  in  the 
work,  belonged  to  their  body.  Besides  the  "  Defensor 
pacis,  seu  de  re  imperatoria  et  pontifica,  ad  versus  usur- 
patam  Romani  Pontificis  jurisdictionem,  libri  tres,"  Mar- 
silius wrote  a  treatise  entitled  "  De  traqslatione  imperii* ;" 
?nd  also  another,  "  De  jurisdictione  imperial!  in  causis 
matrimonialibus."  He  died  at  Montemalto,  in  1328 ;  and, 
however  his  memory  may  have  been  honoured  elsewhere, 
was  ranked  at  Rome  among  the  heretics  of  the  first  class. 1 

MENARD  (Claude),  a  French  magistrate  and  anti- 
quary, was  one  of  several  authors  of  the  name  of  Menard 
who  obtained  considerable  reputation  in  France. ,  Claude, 
who  was  born  in  1582,  had  a  situation  in  the  magistracy  of 
Angers  (lieutenant  de  la  pr6v&t£)',  and  was  distinguished 
for  his  knowledge  and  virtue.  Having  had  the  misfortune 
to  lose  his  wife  towards  the  latter  end  of  his  career,  he 

*  Tbis  work,  which  we  have  not  ante  trecento*  prepe  amios  teripta :" 

been. able  to  meet  with,  occurs  in  Bra-  Ex  bibliopolio  Comefiniano,  1599,  8vo. 

net's  "Manuel   du  Libraire,"   under  But  this  seems  to  be  the  same  with  the 

the  title  of  ••  Defensor  pacis,  sire  Apo-  "  Defensor  pacis,"  mentioned  abore, 

Jogia  pro  Ludovico  IV.  imperatore  Ba-  with  the  addition  of  the  "  apologia  pro 

▼aro,  tractatus  de  translaiione  imperii,  Ludovico,*' 

>  Gen.  Diet. 


MENARD,  41 

quitted  the  world,  became  an  ecclesiastic,  and  led  a  very 
austere  life.  He  was  passionately  attached  to  the  study  of 
antiquities,  and  rescued  from  oblivion  several  curious 
pieces.  He  died  Jan.  20,  1652,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
two.  He  published,  1.  "  Joinville's  History  of  St.  Louis/' 
1617,  4to,  with  notes  full  of  erudition  and  judgment.  2. 
"  The  two  books  of  St.  Austin  against  Julian,"  which  he 
discovered  in  the  library  at  Angers.  3.  "  Researches  con- 
cerning the  body  of  St.  James  the  greater,"  who,  as  is 
pretended,  was  buried  in  the  collegiate  church  of  Angers. 
The  credulity  of  this  casts  some  shade  upon  his  other 
works.  It  is  also  heavily  written.  4."  History  of  Ber- 
trand  du  Gueschlin,"  1618,  4(o.  The  learning  of  this 
author  was  great,  but  his  style  was  heavy  and  bad.  * 

MENARD  (Nicholas  Hugues),  a  writer  on  the  history 
of  the  saints,  was  born  at  Paris  in  1587,  and  became  a 
Benedictine  of  the  congregation  of  St.  Maur,  among  whom 
he  was  one  of  the  first  who  applied  severely  to  study.  He' 
died  Jan.  21,  1644,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven.  We  have 
by  him,  1.  "  Marty rologi urn  Sanm.  ordinis  S.  Benedict!,99 
1€29.  2.  "  Concordia  Regularum,"  a  comparison  of  the 
life  of  St.  Benedict,  with  the  rules  of  his  order.  3.  "  Sa- 
eraraentarium  Sancti  Gregorii  Magni,"  1642,  4to.  4. 
"  Diatriba  deunico  Dionysio,"  1643,  8vo.  All  these  works 
display  a  taste  for  research,  and  a  talent  for  sound  cri- 
ticism. He  found  the  epistle  of  St.  Barnabas,  in  an  an- 
cient manuscript,  in  the  abbey  of  Corbie.  * 

MENARD  (Leo),  a  counsellor  in  the  presidial  court  at^ 
Nismes,  was  born  at  Tarascon,  in  1706,  and  died  in  1767. 
He  lived  chiefly  at  Paris,  and  employed  himself  in  the 
study  of  history  and  antiquities,  and  in  writing  books, 
which,  though  approved  for  their  learning,  did  not  rescue 
him  from  the  inconveniences  of  poverty.  They  are  these : 
1.  u  The  civil,  ecclesiastical,  and  literary  History  of  the 
eity  of  Nismes,"  7  vols.  4to,  published  in  1750,,  and  the 
following  years.  This  work  has  no  fault  but  that  of  pro- 
lixity. 2.  "  Moeurs  et  Usages  des  Grecs,"  1743,  12 mo, 
a  small  and  useful  compilation.  3.  "  The  Amours  of  Ca-' 
listbenes  and  Aristoclea,"  1766,  12mo,  a  novel,  in  which 
the  author  has  skilfully  painted  the  manners  of  Greece.  4, 
"  A  collection  of  fugitive  pieces,  illustrative  of  French  his- 
tory," 3vofe*4to,  published  in  1748.    The  materials  were 

*  MorerL— Diet  Hi*.  *  Niceroo,  to1.  XXII.— Moceri.— Diet.  Hist, 


4<z  MENARD, 

communicated  to  him  by  the  marquia  d'Aubais;  Ther* 
was  also  a  chronologer,  named  Peter  Menard,  who  died 
the  first  year  of  the  last  century ;  a  Barnes  Menard,  a  law- 
yer of  the  sixteenth  century ;  and  one  or  two  more  of  in- 
ferior note.  V 

MENASSEH  (Ben  Israel),  a  celebrated  rabbi,  not  un- 
known in  this  country,  was  born  in  Portugal  about  1604. 
His  father,  Joseph  Ben  Israel,  a  rich  merchant,  having  suf- 
fered greatly  both  in  person  and  property,  by  the  Portu- 
guese inquisition,  made  bis  escape  with  his  family  into 
Holland,  where  this  son  was  educated,  under  the  rabbi 
Isaac  Uriel,  and  pursued  his  studies  with  such  diligence 
stnd  success,  that  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  was  appointed 
to  succeed  his  tutor  as  preacher  and  expounder  of  the  Tal- 
mud in  the  synagogue  of  Amsterdam,  a  post  which  be 
occupied  with  high  reputation  for  many  years.  He  waa 
Dot  quite  twenty-eight  years  of  age  when  he  published  it| 
the  Spanish  language  the  first  part  of  his  work  entitled 
"Conciliador:"  of  which  was  published  a  Latin  version, 
in  the  following  year,  by  Dionysius  Vossius,  entitled  "  Con- 
ciliator, sive  de  Convenientia  Locorum  S.  Scripturae,  quae 
pugnare  inter  se  videntur,  opus  ex  vetustis  et  recen- 
tioribus  omnibus  Rabbinis  magna  iridustria  ac  fide  con- 
gestum ;"  a  work  wbich  was  recommended  to  the  notice  of 
biblical  scholars  by  the  learned  Grotius.  The  profits  of 
his  situation  as  preacher  and  expounder,  being  inadequate 
to  the  expences  of  a  growing  family,  he  engaged  with  his, 
brother,  Who  was  settled  at  Basil,  in  mercantile  concerns  ; 
and  also  set  up  a  printing-press  in  his  own  house,  at  which 
he  printed  three  editions  of  the  Hebrew  Bible,  and  a  num- 
ber of  other  books.  Under  the  protectorate  of  Cromwell 
he  came  over  to  England,  in  order  to  solicit  leave  for  the 
settlement  of  the  Jews  in  this  country,  and  actually  ob- 
tained, greater  privileges  for  his  nation  than  they  had  ever 
enjoyed  before  in  this  country;  and  in  1656  published  aa 
"  Apology  for  the  Jews,"  in  the  English  language,  which 
niay  be  seen  in  vol.  II.  of  the  "  Phoenix,"  printed  from  this 
edition  of  1656.  At  the  end  of  it  in  the  Phoenix  is  a  list 
of  his  works,  published,  or  ready  for  the  press.  He  like- 
wise informs  us  that  be  had  at  that  time  printed  at  his  owrr 
press,  above  sixty  other  books,  amongst  which  are  many 
Bibles  in  Hebrew  and  Spanish,  &c.     He  died  at  Amster* 

i  Necrologie  des  bommet  celebret  pour  annte  1770. 


M  E  N  A  S  S  E  H.  43 

/ 

9  •  * 

dam  about  1659.  The  rabbi  was  esteemed  as  well  for  (its 
riioral  virtues  as  for  his  great  learning,  and  had  been  long 
in  habits  of  correspondence  and  intercourse  with  some  of 
the  most  learned  men  of  his  time,  among  whom  were  the 
Vossii,  Episcopius,  and  Grotius.  The  following  are  his 
principal  works  independently  of  that  already  noticed : 
I.  An  edition  of  the  Hebrew  Bible,  2  vols.  4to.  2.  The 
Talmud  corrected,  with  notes.  3.  "  De  Resurrectionc 
Mortuorum."  .  4.  u  Esperanza  de  Israel,"  dedicated  to  the 
parliament  of  England  in  1 650  :  it  was  originally  published 
in  Spanish,  and  afterwards  translated  into  the  Hebrew,  Ger- 
man, and  English,  one  object  of  which  is  to  prove  that  the 
ten  tribes  are  settled  in  America.  Of  his  opinions  in  this 
$6me  account  is  given  in  the  last  of  oqr  references. ft 

MENCKE  (Otto),  in  Latin  Menckenius,  a  learned! 
German  writer,  was  born  of  a  good  family  at  Oldenburg, 
in  Westphalia,  in  1644.  He  cultivated  his  first  studies  in 
his  native  place ;  and  at  seventeen  went  to  Bremen,  where 
he  applied  himself  to  philosophy.  He  stayed  there  one 
year,  and  removed  to  Leipsic,  where  he  was  admitted  mas- 
ter of  arts  in  1664 ;  and  afterwards  visited  the  other  univer- 
sities, Jena,  Wittemberg,  Groningen,  Franel*;er,  Utrecht^ 
Ley  den,  and  Kiel.  Upon  his  return  to  Leipsic,  he  ap- 
plied himself  for  some  time  to  divinity  and  civil  law.  In 
1668  he  was  chosen  professor  of  morality  in  that  university; 
and,  in  1671,  took  the  degree  of  licentiate  in  divinity. 
He  discharged  the  duties  of  his  professorship  with  great 
reputation  till  his  death,  which  happened  in  1 707.  He  was 
five  "times  rector  of  the  university  of  Leipsic,  and  seven 
times  dean  of  the  faculty  of  philosophy.  He  published 
several  works ;  many  of  his  own,  and  some  of  other  people. 
The  edition  of  sir  John  Marsham's  "  Canon  Chronicus," 
at, Leipsic,  'in  4to,  and  a  new  edition  of  "  Camden's.  An- 
nals of  queen  Elizabeth,"  were  procured  by  him.  But  his 
most  considerable  work,  and  what  alone  is  sufficient  to 
perpetuate  his  name,  is  the  "Acta  eruditorum"  of  Leipsic, 
of  which  he  was  the  first  author,  and  in  which  he  was 
engaged  till  his  death.  When  he  had  formed  that  design, 
he  began  a  correspondence  with  the  learned  men  of  all 
nations,  in  order  to  inform  himself  of  what  passed  in  the 
republic  of  letters.  For  the  same  purpose  he  took  a  jour- 
ney 'to  Holland,  and  thence  to  England.     He  afterward* 

\  Mbreri.— Modern  Universal  Hist.  to!.  XI.  p.  154,  ec!it.  1781. 


44  M  E  N  C  K  E. 

formed  a  society  of  several  persons  of  eminent  abilities,  to 
assist  him  in  the  work,  and  took  all  proper  measures  to 
render  it  lasting.  The  elector  of  Saxony  contributed,  by 
his  generosity,  to  the  success  of  the  design.  The  first 
volume  was  published  at  Leipsic,  in  1682,  in  4to.  Our 
author  continued  to  publish,  with  the  assistance  of  col* 
leagues,  every  year  a  volume  while  he  lived,  with  supple- 
ments from  time  to  time,  and  an  index  once  in  ten  years. 
His  share  ends  with  the  thirtieth  volume. ' 

MENCKE  (John  Burcard),  the  son  of  the  preceding, 
was  born  at  Leipsic,  April  8,  1674,  and  was  admitted  mas- 
ter of  arts  in  that  university  in  1694.  He  spent  some  time 
.there  in  the  study  of  divinity,  and  then  travelled  into  Hol- 
land and  England.  The  reputation  of  his  father,  and  his 
own  great  merit,  procured  him  access  to  all  the  men  of 
learning  in  the  places  through  which  he  passed.  He  spent 
one  year  in  his  travels ;  and  immediately  upon  his  return 
to  Leipsic  in  1699,  was  appointed  professor  of  history. 
His  first  intention  was  to  have  fixed  himself  to  divinity  ; 
but  he  quitted  it  soon  after  for  the  law,  in  which  he  suc- 
ceeded so  well  that  he  received  the  degree  of  doctor  in 
that  faculty  at  Halle,  in  1701.  After  this  he  returned  to 
Leipsic,  to  continue  hitf  lectures  in  history,  by  which  he 
gained  great  reputation  as  well  as  by  his  writings.  Fre» 
deric  Augustus,  king  of  Poland,  and  elector  of  Saxony, 
conceived  so  high  an  esteem  for  him,  that 'in  1708  he  ap- 
pointed him  his  historiographer.  In  1709  he  became  coun- 
sellor to  that  king;  and,  in  1723,  aulic  counsellor.  His 
health  began  to  decline  early  in  life,  and  he  died  April  I, 
1732,  aged  fifty-eight.  He  had  been  chosen,  in  1700,  fel- 
low of  the  royal  society  of  London,  and  some  time  after  of 
that  of  Berlin. 

The  books  he  wrote  were  very  numerous,  and  very 
learned  ;  one  of  which,  in  particular,  bad  it  been  as  well 
executed  as  planned,  would  have  been  very  curious  and 
entertaining.  Its  title  is  the  following :  "  De  Charlata- 
neria  feruditorum  declamationes  duae ;  cum  notis  variorum. 
Accessit  epistola  Sebastian  i  Stadelii  ad  Janum  Philomu- 
sum,  de  circumforanea  (iterator urn  vahitate,  Leipsic,  171 5," 
8vo.  It  has  been  said  that  there  never  was  a  worse  book 
with  a  better  title.  It  has,  however,  been  translated  into 
French,  and  is  entitled  "  De  la  Charlatanerie  des  sgavans, 

1  Gen.  Die*. — Moreri. 


MENCKE.  45 

par  M.  Mencken  :  avec  des  remarques  critiques  de  drffe- 
rens  anteurs,  Hague/'  1721,  in  8vo.  Mencke' s  design  here 
was  to  expose  the  artifices  used  by  false  scholars  to  raise 
to  themselves  a  name  ;  but,  as  he  glanced  so  evidently  at 
certain  considerable  persons  that  they  could  not  escape 
being  known,  some  pains  were  taken  to  have  his  book 
seized  and  suppressed  :  which,  however,  as  usual,  made 
the  fame  of  it  spread  the  faster,  and  occasioned  editions  to 
be  multiplied.  In  1723  he  published  at  Leipsic,  "  Biblio* 
tbeca  Menckeniana,"  &c.  or,  "  A  catalogue  of  all  the 
books  and  manuscripts  in  all  languages,  which  bad  been 
collected  by  Otto  and  John  Mencke,  father  and  son." 
Mencke  himself  drew  up  this  catalogue,  which  is  digested 
in  an  excellent  method,  with  a  design  to  make  bis  library, 
which  was  very  magnificent  and  valuable,  public  :  but  in 
1728  he  thought  proper  to  expose  it  to  sale  ;  and  for  that 
purpose  published  catalogues,  with  the  price  of  every  book 
marked.  Mencke  had  a  considerable  share  in  the  "  Dic- 
tionary of  learned  men,"  printed  at  Leipsic,  in  German, 
in  1715,  folio,  the  plan  of  which  he  had  formed,  and  fur- 
nished the  persons  employed  in  it  with  the  principal  ma- 
terials, and  wrote  the  articles  of  the  Italians  and  English. 
He  continued  the  "Acta  eruditorum,"  as  he  had  promised 
his  father  upon  bis  death-bed,  for  twenty-five  years,  and 
published  33  volumes,  including  the  supplements  and  the 
indexes.1 

MENDELSOHN  (Moses),  a  Jewish  philosophical  writer, 
was  born  at  Dessau,  in  Anhalt,  in  1729.  After  being 
educated  under  his  father,  who  was  a  schoolmaster,  he  de- 
voted every  hour  he  could  spare  to  literature,  and  obtained 
as  a  scholar  a  distinguished  reputation  ;  but  his  father  be- 
ing unable  to  maintain  him,  he  was  obliged,  in  search  of 
labour,  or  bread,  to  go  on  foot,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  to 
Berlin,  where  he  lived  for  some  years  in  indigence,  and 
frequently  in  want  of  necessaries.  -  At  length  he  got  em- 
ployment from  a  rabbi  as  a  transcriber  of  MSS.  who,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  afforded  him  the  means  of  subsistence, 
liberally  initiated  him  into  the  mysteries'  of  the  theology, 
the  jurisprudence,  and  scholastic  philosophy  of  the  Jews. 
The  study  of  philosophy  and  general  literature  became 
from  this  time  his  favourite  pursuit/  but  the  fervours  of 

*  Acta  eruditorum  far  1732.— Bib  1.  Oermaniqae,  vo\  X&V. — Niceron,  re!» 
XXXt— Gen.  Diet. 


H  MENDELSOHN. 

application  to  learning  were  by  degrees  alleviated  an4 
animated  by  the  consolations  of  literary  friendship.     He 
formed  a  strict  intimacy  with  Israel  Moses,  a  Polish  Jew, 
who,  without  any  advantages  of  education,  had  become 
an  able,  though  self-taught,  mathematician  and  naturalist. 
He  very  readily  undertook  the  office  of  instructor  of  Men? 
delsohn,  in  subjects  of  which  he  was  before  ignorant ;  and 
taught  him  the  Elements  of  Euclid  from  his  own  Hebrew 
version.     The  intercourse  between  these  youpg  men  was 
not  of  long  duration,  owing  to  the  calumnies  propagated 
against  Israel  Moses,  which,  occasioned  his  expulsion  from 
the  communion  of  the  orthodox ;  in  consequence  of  this 
he  became  the  victim  of  a  gloomy  melancholy  and  de- 
spondence, which  terminated  i-n  a  premature  death.     His 
loss,  which  was  a  grievous  affliction ,  to  Mendelsohn,  was 
in  some  measure  supplied  by  Dr.  Kisch,  a  Jewish  physician, 
by  whose  assistance  he  was  enabled  to  attain  a  competent 
knowledge  of  the  Latin  language.     In  1748  he  became 
acquainted  with  another  literary  Jew,  viz.  Dr.  Solomon 
Gumperts,  by   whose  encouragement  and  assistance   he 
attained  a  general  knowledge  of  the  living  and  modern 
languages,  and  particularly  the  English,  by  which  be  was 
enabled  to  read  the  great  work  of  our  immortal  Locke  in 
his  own  idiom,  which  he  had  before  studied  through  the 
medium  of  the  Latin  language.     About  the  same  period 
he  enrolled  the  celebrated  Lessing  among  his  friends,  to 
whom  he  was  likewise  indebted  for  assistance  in  his  literary 
pursuits.    The  scholar  amply  repaid  the  efforts  of  his  ins- 
tructor, and  soon  became  his  rival  and  his  associate,  and 
after  bis  death  the  defender  of  his  reputation  against  Jar 
cobi,  a  German  writer,  who  had  accused  Lessing  of  atheism. 
Mendelsohn  died  Jan.  4,  1785,  at. the  age  of  fifty-seven, 
highly  respected  and  beloved  by  a  numerous  acquaintance, 
and  by  persons  of  very  different  opinions.    When  his  re- 
mains were  consigned  to  the  grave,  he  received  those  ho- 
nours from  his  nation  which  are  commpply  paid  tP  their 
chief  rabbies.     As  an  author,  the  first  piece  was  published 
in  1755,  entitled  "Jerusalem,"  in  which  he  maintains  tha,t 
the  Jews  have  a  revealed  law,  but  not  a  revealed  religion* 
but  that  the  religion  of  the  Jewish  nation  is  that  of  nature* 
His  work'  entitled  "  Phsedpiv  a  dialogue  on  the  Ipnnwr 
tality  of  the  Soul,"  in  the  manner  of  Plato,  gained  him 
much  honour:  in  this- he  presents  the  reader  with  till  tbp 
arguments  of  modem  philosophy,  stated  with  great  foree 


MENDELSOHN.  47 

and  perspicuity,  and  recommended  bf  the  charms  of  ele- 
gant writing.    From  the  reputation  which  he  obtained  by 
this  masterly  performance,  be  was  entitled  by  various  pe* 
riodical  waters  the  "  Jewish  Socrates."     It  was  translated 
into  French  in  1773,  and  into  the  English,  by  Charles 
Cullen,  esq.  in  1789.     Amoh£  his  other  works,  which  we  jutrm^&^L 
all  creditable   to   his  talents,    he   wrote   "  Philosophical  tit  j/ttm*  &> 
Pieces;'7   "  A  Commentary  on  Part  of  the  Old  Testa-  Info  Cinrnxvn 
ment ;"  "  Letters  on  the  Sensation  of  the  Beautiful,"  * 

MENDOZA  (Gonzales  Peter  de),  a  cardinal,  arch- 
bishop of  Seville,  and  afterwards  of  Toledo,  chancellor  of 
Castille  and  Leon,  was.  born  at  Guadalajara,  in  1428,  of 
an  ancient  and  noble  family.  He  made  a  great  progress 
in  the  languages,  in  civil  and  canon  law,  and  in  the  belles 
lettres.  His  uncle,  Walter  Alvarez,  archbishop  of  Toledo, 
gave  him  an  archdeaconry  in  his  church,  and  sent  him  to 
the  court  of  John  II.  king  of  Castille,  where  his  merit  soon 
acquired  him  the  bishopric  of  Calahorra.  Henry  IV.  who 
succeeded  John,  trusted  him  with  the  most  important 
affairs  of  state ;  and,  besides  the  bishopric  of  Siguencft, 
procured  a  cardinal's  bat  for  him  from  Sixtus  IV.  in  1473; 
When  Henry  died  the  year  after,  be  named  cardinal  Men- 
dofca  for  his  executor,  and  dignified  him  at  the  same  time 
with  the  title  of  the  cardinal  of  Spain.  He  did  great  ser- 
vices afterwards  to  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  in  the  war 
against  the  king  of  Portugal,  and  in  the  conquest  of  the 
kingdom  of  Granada  over  the  Moors.  '  He  was  then  made 
archbishop  of  Seville  and  Toledo  successively ;  and  after 
governing  some  years,  in  his  several  provinces,  with  great 
wisdom  and  moderation,  he  died  Jan.  11,  1495.  It  is  said 
that  in  his  younger  days  he  translated  "  Sallust,"  "  Ho« 
tnerVIIiad,"  "  Virgil,"  and  some  pieces  of  "  Ovid."  •• 

MENJ)OZA  (John  Gonzales),  an  Augustine  friar  of 
the  province  of  Castille,  was  chosen  by  the  king  of  Spain 
«o  be  ambassador  to  the  emperor  of  China,  in  1584.  He 
was  made  bishop  of  Lipari  in  Italy  in  1593,  bishop  of 
•Chiapi  in  New  Spain  in  1607,  and  bishop  of  Propajan  in 
the  West  Indies  in  1608.  He  wrote  "A  History  of  China," 
in  Spanish,  which  has  been  translated  into  several  lan- 
guages. •  A  general  idea  of  it  may  be  taken  from  the  mere 
title  Of  the  French  translation,  published  at  Paris,  in  1 589, 

1  Rett's  Cyclopaedia— Bios.  Sketch  of  the  Jewish  Socrates.— Gent.  Mag. 
1788.  «  Moreri. 


49  M  E  N  D  O  Z  A. 

• 

which  runs  thus :  u  The  history  of  the  great  kingdom  of 
China,  in  the  East  Indies,  in  two  parts :  the  first  contain- 
ing the  situation,  antiquity,  fertility,  religion,  ceremonies, 
sacrifices,  kipg4,  magistrates,  manners,  customs,  laws,  and 
other  memorable  things  of  the  said  kingdom ;  the  second,; 
three  voyages  to  it  iu  1577,  1579,  and  1581,  with  the  most 
remarkable  rarities  either  seen  or  heard  of  there ;  together 
with  an  itinerary  of  the  new  world,  and  the  discovery  of 
New  Mexico  in  1583."  l 

MENEDEMUS,  a  Greek  philosopher,  was  a  native  of 
Eretria  in  the  island  of  Eubc&a,  who,  going  to  study  at 
Athens,  became  first  a  hearer  of  Plato,  and  then  of  Xeno- 
crates ;  but,  not  being  satisfied  with  theif  doctrines,  went 
over  to  the  Cyrenaic  philosopher  Parebates,  and  by  him 
was  lfed  to  the  Megarensian  Stilpo.  Here,  being  delighted 
by  the  free  manner  of  his  new  master,  be  learned  to  despise 
all  scholastic  'forms  and  arts.  He  had  now  become  so 
famous  by  his  studies,  that  his  countrymen,  who  at  first 
had  held  him  in  no  estimation,  now  voluntarily  com* 
mitted  to  him  the  direction  of  the  state,  with  a  large  sti- 
pend ;  and  he  in  return  was  able  to  render  them  essential 
services  by  the  credit  in  which  he  stood  with  the  kings  of 
Macedon.  After  a  time,  however,  he  was  exposed  to  the 
attacks  of  envy,  that  usual  concomitant  of  greatness ;  and, 
being  accused  of  a  design  to  betray  his  country,  died  of 
grief  at  the  imputation.  He  died  in  the  year  264  B.  C. 
in  the  reign  of  Alexander  the  Great ;  and  the  masters 
under  whom  he  studied  mark  sufficiently  the  earlier  pe- 
riod of  his  life.  < 

Menedemus  was  of  a  strong  constitution,  acute  and!  pe- 
netrating in  understanding ;  in  dispute  he  was  vehement, 
but  in  his  manners  gentle.  He  was  fond  of  convivial 
meetings;  but  it  was  those  in  which  philosophy,  not 
luxury,  presided.  His  most  intimate  friend  and  fellow- 
student  was  Asclepiades,  whose  steadiness  of  regard  was 
highly  honourable  to  both.  After  the  death  of  Menede- 
mus, his  countrymen  erected  a  statue  to  his  memory. 
Some  sarcastically  called  him  the  Eretrian  Bull,  from  th$- 
gravity  of  his  countenance.  Being  told  one  day,  that  it  is 
a  great  felicity  to  have  whatever  we  desire,  "Yes,"  said 
he,  "  but  jit  is  a  much  greater  to  desire  nothing  but  what 
we  have."  * 

4  ' 

'     *  Qcn.  Diet— Diet.  Hist 

*  Blocker.— Jtofenas  Lae>tius.— Stanley**  Hut  of  Philosophy. 


MENEDEMUa  49 

.  MENEDEMUS  was  s  Cynic  philosopher,  father  of  a 
later  period,  just  before  chat  sect  sunk  into  disrepute,  and 
Chat  of  the  Stoics  uader  Zeno  rose  oot  of  its  ruins.  It  is 
probable  that  the  extravagance  of  this  very  man  contri- 
buted very  materially  to  bring  his  sect  into  disrepute ;  for 
he  went  about,  says  Diogenes  Laertius,  dressed  like  a 
fury,  and  saying  that  he  was  sent  by  the  infernal  gods,  to 
report  to  them  the  transgressions  of  men.  His  dress  was 
a  long  black  robe,  reaching  to  his  feet ;  a  scarlet  girdle ; 
a  large  Arcadian  cap,  with  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac 
embroidered  ou  it;  tragic  buskins,  a  vast  beard,  and  a 
strong  ashen  staff  in  his  hand.  Laertius  says  that  he  was 
a  pupil  of  Colptes  of  Lampsacus,  of  whom,  however,  he 
gives  no  particular  account  Others  make  him  the  disciple 
of  Ecbecles  an  Ephesian,  another  Cynic.  Suidas,  by  mis- 
take, applies  to  Menippus  the  extravagant  dress  here  at- 
tributed to  Menedemus.  Menippus,  however,  was  a  dis- 
ciple of  Menedemus.  * 

MENESTRIER  (John  Baptist  le>,  of  Dijon,  one  of 
the  most  learned  and  curious  antiquaries  of  his  time,  was 
horn  in  1 564,  and  died  in  1634,  .at  the  age  of  seventy.  His 
principal  works  are,  1.  "  Medals,  Coins,  and  ancient  Mo- 
numents of  the  emperors  of  Rome/*  folio.  2.  "  Illustrious 
Medals  of  the  ancient  emperors  and  empresses  of  Rome/'' 
4to.  They  are  both  written  in  French,  and  are  not  much 
Esteemed,  according  to  the  Diet.  Hist. ;  but  Moreri  says  that 
all  modern  antiquaries  speak  of  them  with  the  highest 
praise  (grands  eloges)* 

MENESTRIER  (Claude  Francis),  a  Jesuit,  was  born 
at  Lyoos  in  1$33.  Besides  his  skill  in  the  ancient  lan- 
guages, and  acquaintance  with  the  classic  authors,  he  had 
a  particular  talent  for  heraldry,  and  for  the  arrangement 
and  marshalling  of- all  splendid  ceremonies,  such  as  ca- 
nonizations, &c.  so  that  his  plans  for  those  occasions  were 
sought  with  great  avidity.  The  fertility  of  his  imagination 
constantly  displayed  itself  in-  an  incredible  variety  of  in- 
scriptions, devices,  medals,  and  other  ornaments.  He  tra- 
velled in  Italy,  Flanders,  Germany,  and  England ;  and  in 
all  places  gained  .improvement  and  amusement.  His  me-' 
ipory  was  so  prodigious,  that,  in  order  to  try  it,  Christina; 
queen  of  Sweden,  pronounced  in  his  presence  at  Lyons, 
and  had  written  down,  %QQ  unconnected  words,  the  strangest 

>  JSond«— Pto9«MB  Lwrtrnf.— 5«kkw  in  verbo  fmu.      *  Mowri*— Diet  Hist. 

Vol.  XXII.  E 


a 

\ 


&0  MENESTTRltR. 

frire  could  think  of,  and  it  is  said  that  he  repeated  them'  alt 
exactly  in  .the  same  order.  '  This  wonderful  memory  sup* 
plied  him  with  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  anecdotes;  and  he 
spoke  Greek  and  Latin  with  as  much  facility  as  French.  - 
He  died  Jan.  31,  1705,  being  then  seventy-four.  His. 
works  that  remain  are,  1. "  History  of  Louis  the  Great,  by 
medals,  emblems,  devices,  &c."  2.  "  Consular  History 
of  the  city  of  Lyons,"  1693,  folia  3.  Several  small  trea- 
tises on  devices,  medals,  heraldry,  &c»  particularly-  his 
"  Metbode  de  Biason,"  an  edition-  of  which  was  published 
at  Lyons,  in  1770,  8vo,  with  many  additions  to  the  ori- 
ginal work.  4.  "  La  Philosophie  des  Images,"  1694,  12mo, 
wkh  several  others  of  smaller  consequence,  which  are  all 
enumerated  by  Niceron.1 

,   MEN  GO  LI  (Peter),  an  able  Italian  mathematician  it* 
the  seventeenth  century,  concerning  whose  birth  there  is . 
jqo  trace,,  studied  mathematics,  under  Cavalieri,  to  whom 
the  Italians  ascribe  the  inventioa  of  the  first  principles  of 
the  infinitesimal  calculus.  Mengol*  was  appointed  professor 
q{  "  mechanics"  in  the  college  of  nobles  at  Bologna,  and 
Required  high  reputation  by  the  success  with  which  he 
filled   that  post.     His  principal  works  are,  "  Geometric 
Speciosre  Elementa;"  "Novae  Quadrature  Arithmetics,- 
seu  de  additione  Fractionum ;"  "  Via  regiaad  Mathema*. 
ticas  ornata;"  "  Refrazzione  e  paralasse  Solare ;"  "  Spe- 
culation! de  Musica ;"  "  Arithmetics  ratioualis  Elementa ;" 
V  Arithmetic*  realis."    Of  these  Dr.  Burney  notices  his 
"  Speculationi  di  Musica/'  a  desultory  and  fanciful  work,, 
published  at  Bologna,  1670.  An  account  of  this  treatise  was. 
given  in  the  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  VIII.  No.  c.  p.  6194,  seem* 
ingly  by  Birchensha.     The  speculations  contained  in  Men- 
goli's  work  are  some  of  them  specious  and  ingenious ;  but 
the  philosophy  of  sound  has  been  so  much  more  scienti-: 
fically  and  clearly  treated  since. its  publication,  that  the 
difficulty  of  finding  .the  book  is.no  great  impediment  ta 
the  advancement  of  music.     He  was  Mill  living  in  1678.  *   > 
.  MENGS    (Antony  Raphael),   a  celebrated  modern 
painter,  was  born  at  Aussjg  in  Bohemia,,  in  1726.     H» 
father  was.  painter  to  Augustus  III.  king. of  Poland,  and. 
be,  observing  the  talents  of  his  son.  for  the  same  artr 
took  him  to  Rome  in  1741.     After  studying  about  four 
years,    the  young  painter  returned  to  Dresden,  where* 

)  Nicsron,  toV  I.«!-M©*eri.  *  Jtyrou.— Bunwy  in  Rees's  Cyclojmdi**  i 


^  MENGS.  51 

executed  several  works  for  Augustus  with  uncommon 
success.  But  bis  greatest  patron  was  Charles  III.  king  of 
Spain,  who  having,  while  only  king  of  Naples,  become 
acquainted  with  Mengs  and  his  merits,  in  1761,  within 
two  years  after  bis  accession  to  the  throne  of  Spain,  settled 
upon  him  a  pension  of  2000  doubloons,  and  gave  him  an 
bouse  and  an  equipage.  Mengs,  nevertheless,  did  not  go 
to  Spain,  but  resided  chiefly  at  Rome,  where  he  died  in 
1779.  The  labours  of  his  art,  grief  for  the  loss  of  a  most 
beautiful  and  amiable  wife,  and  the  injudicious  medicines 
of  an  empiric,  his  countryman,  who  pretended  to  restore 
his  health,  are  said  to  have  occasioned  his  death.  His  cha- 
racter was  very  amiable,  with  no  great  fault  but  that  which 
too  commonly  attends  genius,  a  total  want  of  (Economy ; 
so  that,  though  his  profits  in  various  ways,for  the  last  eigh- 
teen years  of  his  life,  were  very  considerable,  he  hardly  left 
enough  to  pay  for  his  funeral.  In  his  address,  he  was  timid 
and  aukward,  with  an  entire  ignorance  of  the  world,'  and 
an  enthusiasm  for  the  arts,  which  absorbed  almost  all  his 
passions.  He  left  five  daughters,  and  two  sons,  all  of 
whom  were  provided  for  by  his  patron  the  king  of  Spain** 
He  was  an  author  as  well  as  a  painter,  and  his  works  were 
published  at  Parma  in  1780,  by  the  chevalier  d'Azara,' 
with  notes,  and  a  life  of  Mengs,  in  2  vols.  4to,  which  were 
translated  into  English,  and  published  in  2  vols.  1796,  8vo. 
They  consist  chiefly  of  treatises  and  letters  on  taste,  on- 
several  painters,  and  various  subjects  connected  with  the 
philosophy  and  progress  of  the  arts.  They  were  partly 
translated  into  Freuch,  in  1782,  and  more  completely  in 
1787.  All  that  is  technical  on  the  subject  of  painting,  in 
the  work  of  his  friend  Winckelman,  on  the  history  of  art, 
was  Supplied  by  Mengs.  He  admired  the  ancients,  but 
without,  bigotry,  and  could  discern  their  faults  as  well  as 
their  beauties.  As  an  artist,  Mengs  seems  to  have  been 
mostly  admired  in  Spain.  In  this  country,  recent  con- 
noisseurs seem  disposed  to  under-rate  his  merit,  merely,  as* 
it  would  appear,  because  it  had  been  over-rated  by 
Azara  and  Winckelman.  .  The  finest  specimen  of  bis  art  in 
this  country  is  the  altar-piece  of  All  Souls  Chapel,  Oxford. 
The  subject  of  this  picture  is  our  Saviour  in  the  garden  : 
it  consists  of  two  figures  in  the  foreground,  highly  finished, 
and  beautifully  painted.  It  was  ordered  by  a  gentleman 
of  that  college*  whilst  on  his  travels  through  Spain ;  but. 
being  limited  to  the  price,  he  was  obliged  to  choose  a  sub- 

£  2 


H  At  C  N  C  5. 

ject  of  few  figures.  This  gentleman  relates  a  aingukt 
anecdote  of  Meags,  which  wtl\  further  ? how  the  profimdity 
of  bis  knowledge  end  discernment  in  things  of  antiquity. 
While  Dr.  fturoey  was  abroad  collecting  materials  for  1ms 
History  of  $4usic,  be  found  at  Florence  an  ancient  statue 
of  Apollo,  with  a  bow  aod  fiddle  in  hb  hand:  this,  he  cop* 
•Wered,  would  be  sufficient  to  decide  the  long-contested 
point,  whether  or  not  the  ancients  had  known  the  use  of  the 
bow.  He  consulted  irnany  people  to  ascertain  the  certainty  if 
statue  were,  really  of  antiquity  ;  and  at  last  Mengs  was 
to  give  his  opinion,  who,  directly  as  he  bad  ex* 
amined  it,  without  knowing  the  cause  of  the  inquiry, 
•aid,  "  there  was  no  doubt  but  that  the  statue  was  of  anti- 
quity, but  thai  the  arms  and  fiddle  had  been  recently 
added."  This  had  been  done  with  such  ingenuity  that  no 
one  had  discovered  it  before  Mengs  5  but  the  troth  of  the 
lame  was  not  .to  be  doubted. '. 

MEN  IN  SKI  (Franciscus  a  MBsevinr),  or  Miwsn,  a 
most  celebrated  Geraum  orientalist,  was  bora  2a  Lorraine, 
then  subject  to  the  emperor,  in  1623;  and  for  copkwwnee* 
of  learning,  elegance  of  genius,  and  profound  knowledge 
of  languages,  part|culariy  those  of  the  East,  proved 
undoubtedly  one  of  the  principal  ornaments  of  the  age  m 
which  be  lived  He  studied  at  Rome  under  Giattino.  When 
be  was  about  thirty,  his  Joore  of  letters  induced  him  4o  ac- 
company the  Polish  ambassador  to  Constantinople,  where 
he  studied  the  Turkish  langaage  under  Bobotiu*  and  Ab- 
ided, two  aery  skilful  teachers.  80  .successful  .was  be  m 
this  study,  that  when  he  had  been  there  only  two  years, 
the  fdaoe  of  first  interpreter  to  the  Polish  embassy  at  the 
forte  was  promised  to. him.  Wiheti  the  place  became  **• 
cant,  be  was  accordingly  appointed  to  it,  and  obtained  so 
much  credit  by  his  conduct,  that,  alter  a  time,  be  was  sent 
for  into  Poland,  and  again  sent  out  with  fall  powers  as  am* 
bassador  to  the  Porte.  For.  his  able  execution  of  this  ofece, 
be  waa,  farther  honoured,  by  being  natuipUaed  in  Poland, 
on  which  occasion  be  added  the  Polish  termination  of  ski 
to  his  .family  name,  which  was  Meniu.  Being  desirous 
afterwards  to  estead  &s  sphere  of  action,  he  went  *to  the 
court  of  the  emperor,  as  interpreter  of  oriental  languages, 
in  16a  I.     Hcreaho,  as  in  other  instances,  his  talents  and 

1  Life  of  M«^.-—Pilk'ujrtoo.— Cumberland  spe*!*  jfC  M**$9  W  .*«  *9*fto*t 
cfSpu'nb  pauttert,  but  tYrttebtly  with  much  prejtdice. 


MENINSKt  5* 

btbavtotfr  obtained  the  highest  approbation ;  on  which  ac* 
count  be  was  not  only  sent  an  interpreter  to  several  impe- 
rial ambassadors  at  the  Porte,  but  was  entrusted  in  many 
important  and  confidential  services,  and,  in  1669,  hating 
paid  a  visit  to  the  holy  sepulchre  at  Jerusalem,  was  toad* 
One  of  the  knights  of  that  order.  After  his  re  tarn  to  Vifentoi 
he  was  advanced  to  farther  honours j  being  made  one  of 
the  counsellors  of  war  to  the  emperor,  and  first  inter*, 
preter  of  oriental  languages.  He  died  at  Vienna,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-five,  in  16$  8.  Hit  great  work,  1.  Ttte 
"  Thesaurus  linguatum  orientalipm,"  was  published  at 
Vienna,  in  1680,  in  4  vols,  folio:  to  which  was  added,  itt 
1687,  another  volume,  entitled  M  Complementum  The- 
sauri linguarom  brientalium,  sen  onomasticuttt  Latino-Tttr- 
cico-Atabico<»Persicttm.''  The  former  volumes  having 
become  extremely  scarce,  partly  on  account  of  the  de- 
struction of  a  great  part  of  the  impression  in  the  siege  of 
Vienna  by  the  Turks  in  168S,  a  design  was  formed  some 
time  ago  in  England  of  reprinting  the  work,  by  a  society  Of 
learned  men,  among  whom  was  sir  William  Jones.  But  as 
this  undertaking,  probably  on  account  of  the  vast  etpenee 
which  most  have  been  Incurred,  did  not  proceed,  the  em- 
press queen,  Maria  Theresa,  who  had  heard  of  the  plan, 
took  it  upon  herself,  and  with  vast  liberality  furnished  every 
thing  necessary  for  its  completion.  In  consequence  of  this, 
it  was  begun  to  be  splendidly  republished  at  Vienna  in 
1780,  with  this  title,  "Francisci  1st  Mesgnien  Meninski 
Lcsicon  Arabico-Persico-Turcicum,  adjecta  ad  singulas 
Voces  et  phrases  interpretative  Latinft,  ad  mi  tat  lores, 
etiam  ItalicS,"  and  has  been  completed  in  four  volumes 
folio.  In  this  edition,  say  the  editors,  the  Lexicon  of  Me- 
ninski may  be  said  to  be  increased,  diminished,  and 
amended.  Increased*  because  many  Arabic  and  Persian 
words  are  Added,  from  Wankuli  and  Ferhengi,  the  best 
Arabic  and  Persic  Lexicographers  whom  die  East  has  pro- 
duced; and,  from  Herbeiot,  are  inserted  the  names  of. 
kingdoms,  cities,  and  rivers,  as  well  as  phrases  in  common 
use  among  the  Turks,  &c. ;  diminished,  because  many  use- 
less synonyma  are  omitted,  which  rather  puzzled  than  as- 
sisted the  student;  as  well  afc  all  the  French,  Polish,  and  ' 
Gerafean  interpretations,  die  Latin  being  considered  Its  suf- 
ficient for  all  men  of  learning ;  amended,  with  respect  to 
innumerable  typographical  errors  ;  which,  frQm  a  work  of 
this  nature,  no  care  can  per  haps  altogether  exclude.  Brunet 


W  .MENINSKI. 

» 

remarks,  however,  that  this  edition  does  not  absolutely 
supplant  the  preceding,  as  the  grammar  and  onomasticon 
are  not  reprinted  in  it.     There  is  a  Vienna  edition  of  the 
grammar,  entitled  "  Institutiones  linguae  Turcice,"  1756, 
in  quarto,  two  vols,  in  one ;  but  the  onomasticon  must  still 
be  sought  in  the  original  edition.    The  other  works  of 
Meninski  were  occasioned  chiefly  by  a  violent  contest  be- 
tween him  and  J.  B.  Podesta,  in  which  much  acrimony  was 
employed  on  both  sides.    These  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to 
enumerate,  but  they  may  all  be  seen  in  the  account  of  his 
life  from  which  this  article  is  taken.     It  should  be  observed 
however,  that,  in  1674,  Podesta  published  a  book  entitled 
5*  Prodromus  novi  linguarum  OrFentalium  collegii,  jussu 
Aug.  &c.   erigendi,  in  Univ.'Viennensi;"  to  which  Me- 
ninski opposed,  2.  "  Meninskii  Antidotum  in  Prodromum 
novi  ling*  orient  collegii,  &c."  4to.     But  such  was  the  cre- 
dit of  his  antagonist  in  the  university,  that  soon  after  there 
came  out  a  decree,  in  the  name  of  the  rector  and  consis- 
tory, in  which  that  antidote  of  Meninski's  is  proscribed 
and  prohibited,  for  six  specific  reasons,  as  impious  and  in- 
famous." Meninski  was  defended  against  this  formidable  at- 
tack by  a  friend,  in  a  small  tract,  entitled  "Veritas  defensa, 
seujustitia  causae  Dn.  F.  deM.  M.  [Meninski]  Contra  in- 
fame  deoretum  Universitatis  Viennensis,   anno  H574,  23 
>Joverubris,  &c,  ab  Amico'  luci  exposita,  anno  1675,"  iri 
which  this  friend  exposes,  article  by  article,  the  falsehood 
of  the  decree,  and  exclaims  strongly  against  the  arts  of 
Podesta.    This  tract  is  in  the  British  Museum.    Podesta 
was  oriental  secretary  to  the  emperor,  and  professor  of 
those  languages  at  Vienna;  but  is  described  in  a  very 
satirical  manner  by  the  defender  of  Meninski :  "  Podesta, 
natura  Semi-Italus,  statura  nanus,  caecutiens,  balbus,  imo 
bardus  repertus,  aliisque  vitiis  ac  stultitiis  plenus,  adeoque 
ad  discendas  linguas  Orientales  inhabilis."     A  list  of  the 
works  of  Podesta,  is,  however,  given  by  the  late  editors  of 
Meninski.  * 

MENIPPUS,  a  Cynic,  and  a  disciple  of  the  second  Me- 
jiedemus  before  mentioned,  was  a  native  of  Gadara  in  Pa- 
lestine. His  writings  were  chiefly  of  a  ridiculous  kind,  and 
very  satirical ;  so  much  so,  that  Lucian,  himself  no  very 
lenient  satirist,  calls  him  in  one  passage  "  the  most  bark-' 
ing  and  snarling  of  all -the  Cynic  dogs."     For  this  reason 

i  Life  of  Meninski  prefixed  to  bis  Thesaurus. 


lie  is  introduced  into  two  or  three  of  Lucian's  dialogues, 
as  a  vehicle  for  the  sarcasms  of  that  author.    It  appears, 
that  the  satires  of  Menippu?  were  written  in  prose,  with 
Verses  occasionally  intermixed ;  for  which  reason  the  satires 
of  Varro,  who'  wrote  in  the  same  style,  were  called  Menip- 
pean ;  and  the  same  title,  that  of  "  Satyre  M6nipp6e,"  was 
given,  for  the  same  reason,  to  a  famous  collection,  writ- 
ten in  France  against  the  faction  of  the  league ;  in  which 
compositions  Pierre  le  Roy,  Nicolas  Rapin,  and  Florent 
Chretien, bore  a  principal  share.  Varro  himself  has  been  there- 
fore  called  jfenippeus,  and  sometimes  Cynicus  Romanus. 
Menippus  was  imitated  also  by  his  countryman  Meleager, 
of  whom  an  account  bar  been  given  before.     It  is  said  by 
Laertius,  that  Menippus,  having  been  robbed  of  a  large  sunt 
of  money,  which*  he  had  amassed  by  usury,  hanged  himself 
in  despair.    The  same  author  mentions  some  of  his  works, 
of  which,  however, ,  no  part  is  now  extant.     He  had  been 
>  originally  a  slave,  but  purchased  his  freedom,  and  procured 
himself  to  be  made  a  citizen  of  Thebes.1 
,   MENNES,  or  MEN N IS,  (Sir  John,)  a  celebrated  sea- 
man, traveller,. and  poet,  the  third  son  of  Andrew  Mennes, 
esq.  of  Sandwich  in  Kent;  was  born  there  March  1,  1598. 
He  was  educated  at  Corpus  Ohristi  college,  Oxford,  where 
he  distinguished  himself  by  his  literary  acquirements  ;  and 
afterwards  became  a  great  traveller,  and  well  skilled  in 
naval  architecture.    In  the  reign  of  James  I.  he  had  a  place 
'  in -the  Navy-office,  and  by  Charles  I.  was  appointed  its 
comptroller.     Iq  the  subsequent  troubles  be  took  an  active 
part,  both  military  and  naval,  in  favour  of  his  royal  mas- 
ter:'and  being  a  vice-admiral,,  in  1641  was  knighted  at 
Dover.     In  1642,  he  commanded  the  Rainbow:  but  was 
afterwards  displaced  from  his  services  at  sea  for  his  loyalty, 
and  was  implicated  in  the  Kentish  insurrection  in  favour 
of  the  king  in  1 648.     After  the  Restoration  he  was  made 
governor  of  Dover-castle,   and  chief  comptroller  of  the 
navy,  which  he  retained  till  his  death.    In  1661  he  wasap-< 
pointed  commander  of  the  Henry,  and  received  a  com- 
mission to  act  as  vice-admiral  and  commander  in  chief  of 
bis  majesty's  fleet  in  the  North  Seas.     He  died  Feb.  18y 
167CM,    at    the  Navy-office    in  Seething-lane,    London, 
with  the  character  of  an  honest,  stout,  generous,  and  re- 
ligious man,  whose  company  had  always  been  delightful  to, 

l  Bxuekef/— Diogene*  Laertius.— Moreri. 


\ 

*f  MENKES. 

the  ingenious  tad  witty*  He  was  buried  id  tbe  church  of 
St.  Olave,  Hart-*treet*  Where  a  monument  and  inscription 
were  erected  oyer  his  grave*  add  are  there  stilL  Wood 
says  be  Was  the  author  of  a  poem  entitled  "  Epsom  Wells/' 
and  several  other  poems  scattered  in  other  men's  works* 
What  can  with  most  certainty  -be  attributed  to  him  are 
contained  in  &  volume  entitled  "  Musarum  Delicisft,  or  the 
Mutes  Recreation/'  second  edit  1656*  12mo.  The  cele* 
brated  sdoffing  ballad  on  sir  John  Suckling,  "  Sir  John  got 
him  an  ambling  nag/'  &c.  was  written  by  Mennes.  The 
poems  in  this  volume  are  the  joint  compositions  of  sir  John 
Mennes  and  Dr.  James  Smith* l 

MENNO,  surriamed  Simon,  or  Simonson,  was  the 
founder  bf  a  iect  called  from  him  Mennoflke**  He  waft 
born  at  Witmarsum*  in  Frifesland*  in  1505.  He  was  at  first 
a  Romish  priest,  and  a  notorious  profligate,  and  resigned 
his  rahk  and  office  in  the  Romish  church*  arid  pehlicly  em* 
braced  the  communion  bf  the  anabaptists*  He  died  in 
1561,  in  the  duchy  of  Hblstein,  at  the  country-seat  of  d 
certain  nobleman,  not  far  from  the  city  of  Oldeslbe,  who,  * 
moved  With  compassion  t>y  a  view  of  the  perils  to  which 
Menno'  was  eJcf>osed,  and  the  spared  that  were  daily  laid 
for  his  ruin,  took  him*  with  certain  of  hit  associates,  tntd 
his  protection,  and  gave  hita  ail  Asylum...  He  began  td 
propagate  his  opinions  In  1656,.  and  had  many  follower**: 
whbse  history  mfcy  be  found  in  Mosheim.  They  split  after* 
wards  into  parties,  but  the  Opinions  that  Are  held  in  com* 
mdn  by  thfc  Menneitibes,  seem  to  be  all  derived  from  this 
fundamental  principle,  that  the  kingdom  which  Christ 
established  upon  earth  is  a  visible  church  or  community 4 
into  which  the  holy  and  just  alone  are  to  be  admitted,  and 
which  is  consequently  exempt  from  all  those  institutions 
and  rules  of  discipline,  that  have  been  invented  by  human 
wisdom,  for  the  correction  and  reformation  of  tbe  Wicked* 
This  principle,  indeed,  was  avowed  by  the  ancient  Menno  * 
nites,  but  it  is  now  almost  wholly  renounced ;  nevertheless* 
from  this,  ancient  doctrine,  many  of  the  religions  opinions, 
that  distinguish  the  Mennonites  from  all  other  Christian 
communities,  seem  to  be  derived  :  in  consequence  of  this 
doctrine,  they  admit  none  to  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  but 
persons  tbat  are  come  to  tbe  full  use  of  their  reason  ;  they 
neither  admit  civil  rulers  into  their  communion,  nor  allow 

1  Atb.  Ox.  vol.  II.— Centura  Literaria,  rol.  IV,— *Rt!it'i  Specimens. 


MEN*KO.  5? 

any  other  members  to  perform  the  functions  of  magistracy ; 
t&ey  deny  the  lawfulness  of  repelling  force  by  forcfe,  and 
qonsider  wdr,  in  ail  its  shapes,  as  unchristian  and  unjust : 
they  entertain  the  utmost  aversion  to  the  execution  of  jus- 
tice, and  more  Especially  to  capital  punishments;  and  they 
also  refuse  to  confirm  thdir  testimony  by  an  oath.  Af  enno'sr 
writings,  in  Dutch,  Were  published  in  1601,  folio.1 

MENOCHIUS  (James),  a  native  of  Pavia,  was  born  in 
1534,  and  acquired  such  skill  in  the  law,  that  he  was  sur- 
named  the  Baldus  and  the  Bartholus  of  his  age.  Hd 
taught  law  in  Piedmont^  at  Pisa,  at  Padua,  and  lastly  at 
Pavia.  Philip  IL  king  of  Spain,  appointed  him  counsellor, 
afterwards  president  of  the  council  at  Milan.  He  died 
Adg.  10,  1607,  aged  seventy-five,  leaving,  "  De  recupe- 
rattdfc  possessione,  de  a^ipiscendi  possessionem"  8vo;  "De 
Pnfesumptionibus,"  Geneva/  1670,  2  vols,  folio;  "  De 
Arbitrariis  Judicum  qufestionibus,  et  causis  Consiliorum," 
folio,  and  other  valuable  works.* 

MENOCHIUS  (John  Stephen),  son  of  the  preceding, 
born  in  1516,  at  Pavia,  entered  "among  the  Jesuits  at  the 
age  of  seventeen,  and  died  at  Rome,  February  4,  1656, 
aged  eighty,  leaving,  «*  Institutions,  political  and  econo- 
mical," taken  from  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  a  good  treatise 
"  On  the  Hebrew  Republic ;"  and  a  "  Commentary  on  the 
Bible,"  the  best  edition  of  which  is  by  Pere  Toarnemine, 
a  Jesuit,  1719,  2  vols,  folio.     All  the  above  are  in  Latin.3 

MENZ1KOFF  (Alexander),  was  a  prince  of  the  Rus- 
sian empire,  deeply  concerned  in  ,  the  politics  of  his  time. 
Tb6  general  opinion  of  the  origin  of  Menzikoff  is,  that  his 
father  was  a  peasaht,  who  had  placed  him  at  Moscow  with 
a  pastry-cook,  and  that  he  carried  little  pies  about  the 
streets,  singing  as  he  went  In  this  situation,  be  was  seen 
fay  the  etftperor  Peter,  who,  pleased  with  the  wit  and  live- 
liness which  on  examination  he  found  in  him,  took  him 
about  his  person,  and  thus  opened  the  way  to  his  fortune. 
Others,  however,  say,  that  his  father  was  an  officer  in  the 
sendee  of  the  czat  Alexis  Miehaelowitz,  and  that,  as  it 
was  not  extraordinary  for  gentlemen  to  serve  in  the  stables* 
of  the  czar,  Menzikoff  was  there  employed  as  one  of  th* 
head  grooms,  and  that  in  this  situation  his  talents  were 
noticed  by  the  caar,  and  his  advancement  begun. 

1  Mosheim.*— Brandt's  History  of  the  Reformation. 

9  Tiraboschh— Diet,  Hl$t.  »  Dupin. — Moreri.1 


€0  M  E  N  Z  I  N  I. 

MENZINI  (Benedict),  an  Italian  poet,  was  born  at 
Florence  in  1646,  of  poor  and  bumble  parents.  Notwith- 
standing the  disadvantage  of  his  circumstances,  he  began 
bis  studies  under  Miglioraccio,  and  pursued  thetii  with  ar- 
dour ;  till,  being  noticed  for  his  talents  by  Vincentio  SaU 
tiati,  he  was  removed  from  the  difficulties  of  poverty,  re- 
ceived into  the  house  of  that  patron,. and  encouraged  to 
indulge  his  genius  in  writing.  In  1674,  he  inscribed  4 
volume  of  poems  to  Cosmo  III.  of  Medicis,  but  obtained 
no  great  approbation  from  that  depraved  man.  In  1679, 
he  published  a  book,  entitled  "  Construzione  irregolarfr 
della  linga  Toscana ;"  on  the  irregular  construction  of  the 
Tuscan  language;  and,  in  the  following  year,  a  volume  of 
lyric  poems,  by  way  of  illustrating  his  own  precepts.  His 
first  patron  seems  now  to  have  deserted  him,  or  not  to  bave 
afforded  him  sufficient  support,  for  we  find  him  at  this 
period,  after  several  disappointments,  and  particularly  that 
of  not  obtaining  a  professorship  at  Pisa,  venting  his  dis-* 
content  in  twelve  satires.  These,  however,  were  not  pub* 
lisbed  in  his  life,  but  given  to  a  friend,  Paulo  Falconeri. 
When  they  did  appear,  they  went  through  several  editions. 
In  1685,  Menzini  obtained  the  notice  and  patronage  of 
Christina  queen  of  Sweden,  whom  he  celebrated  in  Latin 
as  well  as  in  Italian.  Under  her  protection  he  lived  at 
Rome,  and  enjoyed  the  best  period  of  his  life.  It  was  at 
this  period,  in  1688,  that  hie  published  his  "Arte  Poetica," 
which  he  dedicated  to  cardinal  Aszolini.  Being  always 
more  or  less  in  want,  owing  to  mismanagement,  he  contrived 
by  these  dedications  to  lay  some  of  the  chief  nobility  of 
his  country  under  contribution  :  but  he  did  not  so  succeed 
with  cardinal  Atestini,  who  received  his  dedication  of  "  It 
Paradiso  terrestre,"  without  granting  him  any  remunera* 
tion.  As  he  had  a  wonderful  vein  of  ready  eloquence,  one 
of  his  resources  was  that  of  composing  sermons  for 
preachers  who  were  not  equally  able  to  stipply  themselves. 
To  this  there  is  an  allusion  in  one  of  the  satires  of  his  con- 
temporary Sectatnis, 

"  Parte  alia  Euganius,  pulchro  cui  pectus  honesto 
Fervet,  et  Ascraeas  libavit  cominus  undafc, 
Ut  satur  ad  tigilem  posuit  remeare  luctrtiaito, 
Cogitur  indoctts  compofiere  verba  cucullis/' 

We  are  told,  by  his  biographer  Fabroni,  that  being  not 
a  little  in  awe  of  the  satirical  talents  of  that  writer,  he  had 
cultivated  his  kindness  with  no  little  anxiety ;  and  thus,  it 


Jf  E  N  Z  I  H  J-  61 

ijugr  be  supposed,  obtained  dps  cgmpliment.  He.was  now 
appointed  by  the  pope,  canon  of  Sl  Angelo  in  Piscina ; 
an<J  continued  to  publi^b  several  works,,  in  Latin  as  well  as 
in  Italian :  as,  "  Oratipnes  de  morum,  philosophic,  huma- 
naruoqque  literarum  studtis,  et  de  Leonis  X.  P.  M.  laudi- 
bus/'  ^Ujt  bis.  Latin  compositions  did  not  so  well  jsatisfy 
the  learned  ?s  those  be  produced  in  bis  own  language ;  and 
their  criticisms  lpd  him  to  writQ  and  publish  a  tract,  ','  De 
poesis  innocentia,  et  de  literajtorupi  bopiinum  invidia." 
Thi?,  however,  was  prior  to  the  present  period,  as  it  bears 
da(e  in  1675.  He  published  now  a  poetical  version  of  the 
^4ip$ntation?  of  Jeremiah,  in  Italian,  which  was  so  much 
approved  by  pope  Clement  XL  that  he  ordered  it  to  be 
distributed  to  ibe  ordinals  in  passion-week.,  Menzini  was 
admitted  a  member  of  the  society  of  Arqadi,  tinder  the 
name  of  Euganius,  under  which  we  have  seen  him  men- 
tioned by  the  satirist :  and  being  also  admitted  .of  the  aca- 
demy DfiUq.  Crusca,  h?  was  very  anxious  to  have  bis  verses 
cited  in  their  dictionary,  as  authority.  I&  this  be  could 
not  prevai},  except  after  a  time  for  his  satires,'  in  which  he 
had  revived  some  classical  Italian  expressions  then  growing 
obsolete.  In  1731,  however,  long  after  his  death,  and  in 
the  fourth  edition  of  that  vocabulary,  all  bis  Italian  works 
w^re  admitted*  as  affording  classical  citations.  Towards 
the  end  of  life  he  became  dropsical,  and. died  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight,  in  1704.  He  left  the  fortune  of  a  poet,  his 
vyor^s  only,  which  he  bequeathed  to  a  friend ;  and  they 
war?  ia  1730— 17  34,  .published  collectively,  in  4  vols.  Svo, 
the  contents  of  which  are  recited  by  FabronL  An  edition 
pfjrie  "Art  of  Poetry"  has  lately  been  published  by  Mr. 
Sfcthia%  perhaps  the  most  accomplished  Italian  scholar 
and,  critic  in  thif  kingdom..  His  satires  were  published 
with  Sevan's  noftes,  in  1759,  8vo,  and  with  those  of  Ri- 
qaJ4o  Maria  Bracei,  at  Naples  in  17£3,  4to.1 

JVIERC^TI  (RJlQHAEL),  a  pbyaician  and  naturalist,  the 
son  of  feXer  M^rcati^  a  physician  of  St.  Miniato,  in  Tus- 
cany, was  bom  April  8,  1541.  After  having  finished  his 
scholastic  education  at  his  native  place,  he  was  sent  to 
Pisa,  and  ptaged  under  the  tuition  of  Cesalpini,  from  whom 
fye  derived  hi*  taste  for  the  study  of  nature.  Having  re- 
cSkc4.Ws  degree  of  .doctor  in  philosophy  and  medicine  in 
that  university,  he  went  to  Rome,  where  pope  Pius  V.  ap- 

i  Fatooi  Vto  Ralorua,  wl.  VU.    ,  '     * 


6«  iiERCAT  t. 

*  * 

pointed  bins  superigtendant  of  the  botanical  garden  of  the 
Vatican,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six,  but  Niceron  says  be  . 
Was  not  more  than  twenty.  Afterwards  Ferdinand  I.  the 
grand  duke  of  Tuscany,  raised  him  to  the  rink  of  nobility ; 
and  soon  afterwards  the  same  dignity  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  the  senate  of  Rome.  Among  his  othet  honours, 
Sixtu*  V.  conferred  upon  him  the  office  of  apostolical 
prothonotary,  and  sent  him  into  Poland  with  cardinal  Al- 
dobrandini,  that  be  might  enjoy  the  opportunity  of  in- 
creasing bis  collections  in  natural  history.  The  same  car- 
dinal, when  elected  pope  in  1592,  under  the- title  of  Cle- 
ment VIII.  nominated  Mercati  bis  first  physician,  and  had 
in  contemplation  higher  honours  to  bestow  upon  him,  when 
this  able  physician  died,  in  1593,  in  the  fifty-third  year  of 
his  age.  His  character  in  private  life'  was  universally  es- 
teemed, and  the  regret  of  the  most  distinguished  persons 
of  Rome  followed  him  to  his  grave.     • 

Mercati  wrote  in  Italian,  at  the  request  of  his  patron' 
pope  Gregory,  a  work  "  On  the  Plague,  on  the  Corruption' 
of  the  Air,  on  the  Gout,  and  on  Palsy,1'  Rome,  1576,  4  to; 
and  likewise  a  "  Dissertation  on'  the  Obelisks  of  Rome/9 
1589,  4to.     But  be  is  principally  remembered  for  his  de- 
scription of  the  subjects  of  natural  history,'  particularly  bF 
mineralogy,    contained  in  the  museum   of  the  Vatican,' 
which  was  formed  under  the  auspices  of  Gregory  XIII.  and' 
Sixtus  V.  and  was  afterwards  totally  dispersed.     He  was 
about  to  prepare  engravings  of  the  principal  subjects,  when 
his  disease,  which  terminated  his  life,  interrupted  his  pro- 
gress.    His  manuscript  came  into  the  hands  of  Carlo  Dat'f 
of  Florence,  where  it  remained  till  the  time  of  Clement  XL 
who  purchased  it,  and  caused  it  to  be  splendidly  edited  by 
Lancisi,  his  first  physician,  in  1717,  at  Rome,  under  the- 
title  of  "  Metallotheca,  opus   posthumum  authoritate  et' 
munificentia  ClementigXI.  Pont.  Max.  e  tenebrk  in  lucem 
eductum ;  operft  &  stud.  J.  M.  Lancisi  Archiat.  Prat,  illus- 
tratum,"  folio.     An  "  Appendix  ad  Metallothecam"   was 
published  in  1719;  * 

Besides  his  father  and  grandfather,  both  men  of  learning - 
and  eminence  in  their  day,  there  was  a  Louis  Mercati,  a 
physician  of  the  same  century,  whose  medical  and  surgical' 
works  were  printed  in  1605,  and  often  reprinted,  but  are ' 
not  now. held  in  much  esteem.1  -    •.  %  ; 

* 

1  Eloge  by  Magelli,  prefixed  to  the  Metallotheca.— fckaufepie.— Niceron, 
to!.  XXXVUI.— Eloy  Diet.  Hist,  de  Medicine.— Reel's  Cyclopadia. 


MERCATOR.  «J 

/ 

•  MERCATOR  (Gerard),  an  eminent  geographer  and 
mathematician,  was  born  in  1514,  at  Ruremonde  in  the 
Low  Countries.  He  applied  himself  with  such  industry  to 
the  sciences  of  geography  and  mathematics,  that  it  has 
been  said  he  often  forgot  to  eat  and  sleep.  The  emperor 
Charles  V.  encouraged  bim  much  in  his  labours  ;  and  the 
duke  of  Julters  made  him  his  cosmographer.  He  composed 
and  published  a  chronology;  a  larger  and  smaller  atlas; 
apd  some  geographical  tables ;  besides  other  books  in  phi* 
losophy  and  divinity.  He  was  also  so  curious,  as  well  as 
ingenious,  that  he  engraved  and  coloured  his  maps  him- 
self. He  made  various  maps,  globes,  and  other  mathe- 
matical instruments  for  the  use  of  the  emperor ;  and  gave 
tbe  most  ample  proofs  of  his  uncommon  skill  in  what  lie 
professed.  His  method  of  laying  down  charts  is  still  used, 
which  bear  the  name  of  "  Mercatpr's  Charts ;"  also  a  part 
of  navigation  is  from  him  called  Mercatofs  Sailing.  He 
died. at  Duisbourg  in  1594,  at  eighty-two  years  of  age.1 

MERCATOR  (Marius),  a  celebrated  ecclesiastical  au- 
thor of  the  fifth  century,  St.  Augustine's  friend,  who  wrote 
against  the  Nestorians  and  Pelagians,  died  about  tbe  year 
451.  All  his  works,  which  are  in  Labbe's  Councils,  and 
in  the  library  of  the  Fattters,  were  published  in  1673,  by- 
Gar  nier,  a  Jesuit,  with  long  Dissertations,  2  torn,  in  one 
volume,  folio,  M.  Baluze  published  a  new  edition  of  thent 
at  Paris,  1684,  8vo.f 

MERCATOR  (Nicholas),  an  eminent  mathematician 
and  astronomer,  whose  name  in  High-Dutch  was  KaufFteaii, 
was  born  about  1640,  at  Holstein  in  Denmark.  From  his 
works  we  learn,  that  he  bad  an  early  and  liberal  education, 
suitable  .to  his  distinguished  genius,  by  which  he  was  ena- 
bled to  extend  his  researches  into  tbe  mathematical  sciences, 
and  to  make  very  considerable  improvements :  for  it  ap- 
pears from  his  writings,  as  well  as  from  the  character  given 
of  bim  by  other  mathematicians,  that  his  talent  rather  lay 
in  improving,  and  adapting  any  discoveries  and  improve- 
ments, to  use,  than  invention.  However,  his  genius  for 
the  mathematical  sciences  was  very  conspicuous,  and  in- 
troduced him  to  public  regard  and  esteem  in  his  owiy 
country,  ,  and  facilitated  a  correspondence  with  such  as 
were  eminent  in  those  sciences,  in .  Denmark,  Italy,  and 

1  Moreri.— Foppen    Bibl. .  Belg.— Hutton's  Diet,— Bullsrt'i  Academic  de* 
Sciences,  rol.  II. — Saxii  Onomast. 
«*  Cafe,  vqK  I^-Dtipm.— Moreri,— S»xii  Onomast      \ 


.*  .a.        » 


64  MIECATOS. 

England.     In  consequence,  some  of  bis  correspondents 
gave  him   an   invitation   to  this  country,  which  he  bo 
cepted ;  and  he  afterwards  continued  in  England  till  his 
death.    In  1666  be  was  admitted  F.  E.S.  and  gave  fre- 
quent proofs  of  bis  close  application  to  study,  as  well  as 
of  his  eminent  abilities  in  improving  some  branch  or  other 
of  tbe  sciences.    But  he  b  charged  sometimes  with  bof+ 
rqwing  the  inventions  of  others,  and  adopting  them  as  hi* 
own,  and  it  appeared  upon  some  occasions  that  be  was  not 
pjf  an  over-liberal  mind  in  scientific  communications.  Thus, 
it  had  some  time  before  bim  heen  observed,  that  there  was 
an  analogy  between  a  scale  of  logarithmic  tangents  and 
Wright's  protraction  of  tbe  nautical  meridian  line,  which 
consisted  of  the  sums  of  tbe  secants ;  though  it  does  not 
appear  by  whom  this  analogy  was  first  discovered.     It  ap- 
pears, however,  to  have  been  first  published*  and  intro- 
duced into  the  practice  of  navigation,  by  Henry  Bond,  who 
mentions  this  property  in  an  edition  of  Norwood's  Epitome 
of  Navigation,  printed  about  1645  ;  and  be  again  treats  of 
it  more  fully  in  an  edition  of  Gunter's  works,  printed  in' 
1653,  where  he  teaches,  from  this  property,  to  resolve  all 
the;  cases  of  Mercator's  sailing  by  the  logarithmic  tangents, 
independent  of  tbe  table  of  meridional  parts.  This  analogy 
bad  only  been  found  to  be  nearly  true  by  trials,  but  not 
demonstrated  to  be  a  mathematical  property.    Such  de- 
monstration seems,  to  have  been  first  discovered  by  Mecca* 
tor,  who,  desirous  of  making  the  most  advantage  of  this  and 
awtther  concealed  invention  of  bis  in  navigation,  by  a  paper, 
in  tbe  Philosophical  Transactions  for  June  4,  166 6,  invite* 
the  public  to  enter  into  a  wager  with  bim  on  his  ability  to 
prove  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  supposed  analogy.  This 
meueenary  proposal  it  seems  was  not  taken  up  by  any  one^ 
and  Mercator  reserved  his  demonstration.     Our  author, 
however,  distinguished  himself  by  njany  valuable  pieces  on 
philosophical  and  mathematical  subjects.    His  first  attempt 
was,    to  reduce  astrology  to  rational  principles,    yrhioh 
proved  a  vain  attempt.    But  his  writings  of  more  particular 
note,  are  as  follow :  1 .  "  Cosmographia,  sive  Descrtptio 
Coeli  &  Terne  in  Circulos,  qua  fundamentum  steraiier  se- 
quentibus  ordine  Trigonoraetrise   Spbericorum  Logarithm 
micee,  &c  a  Nicolao  Hauffmau  Hoiaato,"  Dantaic,  1651, 
12mo.    2.  "  Rationes  Mathematics  subducts  anno  1653," 
Copenhagen,  4to.     3.  "  De  Emendatione  annua  Diatribe 
duae,  quibus  exponpntur  &  dexnonstrantur  Cycli  Solis  & 


» 


MERCATOR.  63 

LuiMe,"  £c.  4to.  4.  "  Hypothesis  Astronomica  nova,  06 
Consensus  ejus  cum  Observationibu*,"  Lo.nd.  1664>  folio. 
5.  "  Logarithmotecbnia,  sive  Metbodus  construendi  Lo- 
garitbmos  nova,  accurata,  et  facilis ;  scripto  aotebac  com* 
municata  anno  sc.  1667  nonis  Augusti ;  cui  nunc  ac^edit, 
Vera  Quadratura  Hyperbolae,  &  inventio  summee  Logarithm 
uiorum.  Auciore  Nicolao  Mercatore  Holsato  e  Societal* 
Regia.  Huic  etiam  jungitur  Michaelis  Angeli  Ric/cM  Ex* 
ercitatio  Geometrica  de  Maximis  et  Minimis,  hie  ob  argu 
menti  prsestanti^m  &  exemplarium  raritatem  recusa, 
Lond.  1668,  4to.  6.  "  Institution |*m  Agtronqmicarqm  U- 
bri  duo,  ,de  Motu  Astroruot  communi  &  proprto,  secundum 
hypotheses  veterum  &  recen  riorum  prs&cipuw;  deqme  Hyr 
potheaeon  ex  observatis  constructione,  cum  tabulis  Tycho- 
nianis,  Solaribus,  Lunaribus,  Luns-solaribus,  fy.  Rudoln 
phinia  Solis,  Fix&rum  &  quinque  £rrantium3  earuwque  usi* 
praceptis  et  exemplis  commonstrato.  Quibusaccedit  Ap- 
pendix de  iis,  quae  novissimis  temporibus  coelitus  innotue- 
runt,"  Lond.  1676,  8vo.  7.  "  Euclidis  Elementa  Geome- 
trica, novo  ordine  ac  methodo  fere,  demonstrata.  Una? 
cum  Nic.  Mercatoris  in  Geometriam  Introductione  brevi. 
qua  Magnitudinum  Ortus  ex  genuinis  Principii%  &  Orta- 
rum  Affectiones  ex  ipsa  Genesi  derivantur,"  Lond.  1678, 
12oio.     His  %  papers  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  are, 

1.  A  Problem  on  some  Points  of  Navigation  ;  vol.  I.  p.  215. 

2.  Illustrations  of  the  Logarithmo-technia ;  vol.  III.  p.  759. 

3.  Considerations  concerning  his  Geometrical  and  Direct 
Method  for  finding  the  Apogees,  Excentricities,  and  Ano~ 
malies  of  the  Planets;  vol.  V.  p.  1168.  Mercator  died  in 
1594,  about  fifty -four  years  of  age.1 

MERCER  (James),  a  major  in  the  army,  and  a  very 
elegant  and  accomplished  scholar,  was  the  son  of  ^  private 
gentleman  in  Aberdeenshire,  who,  having  joined  the  High- 
land army  in  the  year  1745,  retired  to  France  after  the 
battle  of  Culloden,  where  be  resided  till  his  death.  His 
ion,  who  was  born  Feb.  27,  1734,  was  educated  at  Maris^ 
cbal  college,  Aberdeen,  and  afterwards  went  to  reside  with 
his  father  at  Paris.  There  he  spent  his  time  in  elegant 
society,  and  devoted  his  leisure  hours  to  the  cultivation  of 
letters,  and  thus  acquired  those  polished  planners,  and  that 
taste  for  study,  by  which  he  was  ever  after  so  highly  dis- 

1  Button's  Diet. — Martin's  Biog.  Phil. — Usher*  Life  and   Letters,  pp.  607, 
>         <22<~- Letters  of  Eminent  Persons,  1813,  3  Vols.  8to,  where  are  son*  anecdote* 
ef  him  by  Aubrey. 

Vol.  XXIL     '  '        '  '    F 


'  / 


«6  MERCER. 

♦ 

tingotsbed.  He  possessed,  too,  a  very  high  degree  of 
elegant  and  chastised  wit  and  humour,  which  made  his 
compter  to  be  universally  sought  after  by  those  who  had 
the  bappioess  of  his  friendship  or  acquaintance. 

On  the  death  of  his  father,  he  returned  to  Scotland,  and 
soon  afterwards  entered  into  the  army  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  seven-years  war,  during  the  greatest  part  of 
which  be  served  in  Germany  under  prince  Ferdinand  of 
Brunswick,  and  was  in  one  of  the  six  British  regiments  of 
infantry,  that  gained  such  reputation  for  their  gallantry  at 
the  memorable  battle  of  Minden.  The  regiment  in  which 
he  afterwards  served,  being  reduced  at  the  peace  of  Paris, 
he  returned  to  Aberdeen,  where  be  married  Miss  Kathe- 
rine  Douglas,  sister  to  the  present  lord  Glenbervie,  a  beau- 
tiful and  accomplished  woman,  with  whom  he  lived  many 
years  in  much  happiness.  In  order  to  fill  up  the  vacant 
hours  of  bis  then  unemployed  situation,  he  devoted  his 
time  chiefly  to  books,  and,  in  particular,  recommenced  the 
study  of  the  Greek  language  (of  which  he  had  acquired  the 
rudiments  at  college)  with  such  assiduity,  that  bis  intimate 
friend,  Dr.  Beattie,  was  of  opinion  there  were  not  six  gen- 
tlemen in  .Scotland,  at  that  time,  Who  knew  Greek  so  well 
as  major  Mercer.  Then  it  was  likewise, '  that  by  attention 
to  the  purest  models  of  antiquity,  he -corrected  that  partia- 
lity for  French  literature,  which  he  had  strongly  imbibed 
by  bis  early  habits  of  study  at  Paris. 

Not  long  after,  be  again  entered  into  the  army,  in  which 
he  continued  to  serve  till  about  1772,  when  he  had  ar- 
rived at  the  rank  of  major;  but  he  then  quitted  the  profes- 
sion, and  only  resumed  a  military  character  when  he  held 
a  commission  in  a  regiment  of  fencibles  (militia)  during  the 
American  war.  On  the  return  of  peace,  he  retired  with 
his  family  to  Aberdeen,  where  he  continued  chiefly  to  re-* 
side  during  the  rest  of  his  life.  An  acquaintance  had  first 
taken  place  between  him  and  Dr.  Beattie,  on  bis  return  to> 
Aberdeen  after  the  seven  years'  war ;  and  as  their  taste  in 
books,  and  their  favourite  studies,  were  in  some  respects 
entirely  similar,  a  lasting  friendship  ensued,  which  proved 
to  both  a  source  of  the  highest  enjoyment.  Of  this  we 
have  many  interesting  proofs  in  sir  William  Forbes' s  "  Life 
of  Beattie," 

Major  Meroer's  acquaintance  with  books,  especially  of 
poetry  and  belles  lettres,*  both  ancient  and  modern,  was 
not  only  uncommonly  extensive,  but  he  himself  possessed- 


MERCER.  67 

a  rich  and  genuine  poetical  vein,  that  led  him,  for  his  own 
amusement  only,  to  the  composition  of  some  highly  finished, 
Jyric  poems.  These  he  carefully  concealed,  however,  from 
the  knowledge  of  his  most  intimate  friends ;  and  it  was 
with  much  difficulty  that  bis  brother- in-law,  lord  Glenber- 
vie,  at  length  could  prevail  on  him  to  permit  a  small  col- 
lection to  be  printed,  first  anonymously,  afterwards  with 
his  name;  the  latter  edition,  with  the  title  of  "  Lyric  Poems. 
By  James  Mercer,  esq.  Second  edition,  with  some  addi- 
tional poems,"  1804,  12mo.  These  beautiful  poems  pos- 
sess much  original  genius,  and  display  a  taste  formed  on 
the  besc  classic  models  of  Greece  aud  Rome,  whose  spirit 
their  author  .bad  completely  imbibed,  especially  that  of 
Horace,  who  seems  to  have  been  the  model  whom  he  had 
proposed  to  himself  for  his  imitation. 

In  1802  major  Mercer  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his 
wife,  after  a  long  course  of  severe  indisposition,  during 
which  he  had  attended  her  with  the  most  anxious  assiduity. 
Of  this  loss,  indeed,  be  may  be  said  never  to  have  got  the 
better,  and  he  survived  her  little  more  than  two  years. 
He  bad  long  been  in  a  very  valetudinary,  nervous  state,  till 
at  last  his  constitution  entirely  failed  :  and  he  expired  with- 
out a  struggle  or  a  pang,  Nov.  18,  1804,  in  the  seventy- 
first  year  of  his  age.  Besides  possessing  no  ordinary  share 
of  knowledge  both  of  books  and  men  (for  in  the  course  of 
his  military  life  especially,  he  had  lived  much  in  society  of 
various  sorts),  and  being  one  of  the  pleasantest  companions, 
he  was  a  man  of  much  piety,  strict  in  the  observance  of 
ail  the  ordinances  of  religion,  and  of  high  honour  in  every 
transaction  of  life.1 

'MERCIER  (Bartholomew),  a  learned  bibliographer 
and  miscellaneous  writer,  familiarly  knowti  in  France  by 
the  title  of  the  abb£  de  St.  Leger,  was  born  at  Lyons, 
April  1,  1734.  He  entered  when  young,  into  the  congre- 
gation of  St.  Genevieve,  of  which  he  became  librarian,  at 
the  time  that  the  learned  Pingre,  his  predecessor  in  that 
office,  went  to  observe  the  transit  of  Venus.  In  1764, 
When  Louis  XV.  visited  this  library,  he  was  so  much 
pleased  with  Mercier's  intelligent  manner  of  displaying  its 
treasures,  that  he  appointed  him  abb£  of  St.  Leger  at  Sois- 

1  Taken,  with  little  variation,  from  sir  Wm.  Forbes's  Life  of  Dr.  BeaUie. 
We  bad  the  honour  of  knowing  major  Mercer,  and  at  the  end  of  thirty-five  years, 
cherish  the  teoderest  remembrance  of  nil  early  kindness,  his  elegant  manners, 
?*d  well-informed  mind. 

F   2 


69  M  E  R  C  I  E  R. 

son,  a  preferment  which  then  happened  to  be  vacant 
Merrier  often  travelled  to  Holland  and  the  Netherlands  to 
visit  the  libraries  and  learned  men  of  those  countries,  and 
was  industriously  following  his  various  literary  pursuits, 
when  the  revolution  interrupted  his  tranquillity,  and  re- 
duced him  to  a  state  of  indigence.  This  be  could  have 
borne ;  but  the  many  miseries  he  witnessed  around  him, 
.  and  particularly  the  sight  of  his  friend  the  abb6  Poyer 
dragged  to  the  scaffold,  proved  top  much  for  his  constitu- 
tion. He  continued  to  linger  on,  however,  until  May  13, 
1799,  when  death  relieved  him.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
learning  and  research,  as  his  works  evidently  shew,  and  ia 
his  private  character,  social,  communicative,  and  amiable. 
His  works  are,  1.  "  Lettre  sur  la  Bibliographic  de  Debure," 
1763,  8vo.  2.  "  Lettre  a  M.  Capperonier,"  on  the 
same  subject,  which  was  followed  by  a  third,  printed  in 
the  "  Journal  de  Trevoux."  3.  "  Lettre  sur  le  veritable 
auteur  du  Testament  Politique  du  cardinal  de  Richelieu,'* 
Paris,  1765,  8vo.  4.  "  Supplement  a  PHistOire  de  l'im- 
primerie  de  Prosper  Marchand,"  1765,  4to,  reprinted  with 
additions,  &c.  1771.,  5.  "  Lettre  sur  la  Pucelle  D'Or- 
leans,"  1775.  6.  "  Dissertation  sur  I'auteur  du  livre  de 
P Imitation  de  Jesus-Christ."  7.  "  Notice  du  livre  rare, 
intitule  Pedis  Admirandae,  par  J.  d'Artis."  8.  "  Notice 
de  la  Platopodologie  d'Antoine  Fianc6,  medecin  de  Be- 
sangon,"  a  curious  satire  by  Fianc6.  9.  "  Lettre  a  un  ami, 
sur  la  suppression  de  la  Charge  de  Bibliothecaire  du  roi  en 
France,"  (Paris),  17 87,  8vo.  10.  "  Notice  sur  les  torn- 
beaux,  des  dues  de  Bourgogne."  1 1.  "  Lettres  sur  diffe- 
rentes  editions  rares  du  15  siecle,"  Paris,  1785,  8vo,  par- 
ticularly valuable  for  Italian  books.  12.  "  Observations 
surl'Essai  d'un  projetde  Catalogue  de  Bibliotheque."  13. 
41  Description  d'une  giraffe  vue  a  Fano."  14.  "  Notice 
raisonnee  desouvrages  de  Gaspard  Schott,  Jesuite,"  1785,. 
8vo.  15.  "  Bibliotheque  de  Romans  trad u its  du  Grec." 
1796,  12  vols.  12mo.  16.  "  Lettre  sur  le  projet  de  decret 
concernant  les  religieux,  propos£e  a  I1  Assemble  Nationale 
par  M.  Treilhard,"  1789,  8vo.  17.  "  Lettre  sur  un  nou- 
veau  Dictionnaire  Historique  portatif  en  4  vols.  8vo."  This, 
which  appeared  in  the  "  Journal  de  Trevoux,"  contains  a 
sharp  critique  upon  the  first  volumes  of  Chaudon's  Dic- 
tionary. Mercier  bestowed  great  pains  in  correcting  and 
improving  his.  copy  of  this  work,  which  fell  in  the  hands  of 
the  editors  of  the  last  edition  of  the  Diet.  Hist     Mercier 


M  E  R  C  I  E  R.  6» 

was  frequently  employed  in  the  public  libraries  ;  and  those 
of  Soubise  and  La  Valliere  owe  much  of  their  treasures  to 
his  discoveries  of  curious  books.  He  was  also  a  frequent 
writer  in  the  Journal  de  Trevoux,  the  Journal  des  Sgavans, 
the  M&gazin  Encyclopedique,  and  the  An  nee  Litteraire. 
He  left  some  curious  manuscripts,  and  manuscript  notes 
and  illustrations  of  many  of  his  books.1 

MERC1ER  (John  le),  or  Mkrcekus,  a  celebrated 
philologer,  was  a  native  of  Usez  in  Languedoc.  He  was 
bred  to  the  study  of  jurisprudence,  which  be  quitted  for 
that  of  the  learned  languages,  Greek,  Latin,  Hebrew,  and 
Chaldee;  and  in  1549,  succeeded  Vatablus  in  the  pro- 
fessorship of  Hebrew  in  the  royal  college  at  Paris.  Being 
obliged  to  quit  the  kingdom  during  the  civil  wars,  he  re- 
tired to  Venice,  where  his  friend  Arnoul  du  Ferrier  resided 
as  French  ambassador;  but  returned  with  him  afterwards 
to  France,  and  died  at  Usez,  his  native  place,  in  1572. 
He  was  a  little  man,  worn  by  excess  of  application,  but 
with  a  voice  which  he  could  easily  make  audible  to  a  large 
auditory.  His  literature  was  immense,  and  among  the 
proofs  of  it  are  the  following  works:  1.  "  Lectures  on 
Genesis,  and  the  Prophets,"  Geneva,  1 598,  folio.  2. "  Com- 
mentaries on  Job,  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  and  the  Canti- 
cles," 1573,  2  vols,  folio,  which  have  been  much  esteemed, 
3.  "Tables  of  the- Chafdee  Grammar,"  Paris,  1550,  4to. 
These  are  all  written  in  Latin.  He  was  considered  as  in- 
clined to  Calvinism.  His  son  Josiah  le  Mercier,  an 
able  critic,  who  died  December  5,  1626,  published  an  ex- 
cellent edition  of  "Nonnius  Marcellus  ;"  notes  on  Aristac- 
netus,  Tackus,  DictysCretensis,  and  Apuleius's  book  "  De 
Deo  Socratis,"  and  an  "  Eulogy,"  on  Peter  Pithon;  some 
of  his  letters  are  in  Goldast's*  collection.  Salmasius  was 
his  son  -in-law.  • 

MERCURIALIS  (Jerome),  a  learned  and  eminent  phy- 
sician, was  boru  at  Forli,  in  Romagna,  Sept.  30,  1530. 
He  was  educated  according  to  Niceron  at  Padua,  and  ac- 
cording to  Eloy  at  Bologua.  It  seems,  however,- agreed 
that  he  received  his  doctor's  degree  in  1555,  and  began  to 
practice  at  Forli.  In  1562  he  was  sent  as  ambassador  to 
pope  Pius  IV.  at  Rome,  where  he  was  honoured  with  the 
citizenship,  and  upon  a  pressing  invitation  determined  to 
reside  in  a  place  which  presented  so  many  opportunities 

*  Diet.  HUt.  »  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist. 


70  MERCURIALIS. 

for  the  pursuit  of  bis  favourite  studies.  During  bis  abode 
at  Rome,  besides'  his  professional  concerns,  be  studied 
classical  literature,  and  the  monuments  of  antiquity,  and 
produced  a  learned  and  elegant  work,  which  acquired  him 
much  celebrity  in  the  literary  world,  and  which  was  first 
published  at  Venice  in  1569,  under  the  title  of  "  De  Arte 
GymnasticS.  Libri  sex,"  4to.  It  was  many  times  reprinted, 
and  its  merit  occasioned  bis  being  appointed  professor  of 
medicine  in  the  university  of  Padua.  In  1573  he  was 
called  to  Vienna  by  the  emperor  Maximilian  IL,  to  con* 
suit  respecting  a  severe  illness  under  which  that  personage 
laboured  ;  and  his  treatment  was  sq  successful,  trjat  be  re* 
turned  loaded  with  valuable  presents,  and  honoured  with 
the  dignities  of  a  knight  and  count  palatine.  In  1 587  he 
removed  to  a  professorstp  at  Bologna,  which  has  been 
partly  attributed  to  a  degree  of  dissatisfaction  or  self-adcu- 
sation,  in  consequence  of  an  error  of  judgment,  which  had 
been  committed  by  him  and  Capivaccio,  .several  years 
before,  when  they  were  called  to  Venice,  in  order  to  give 
their  advice  respecting  a  pestilential  disorder. which  pre- 
vailed in  that  city.  On  this  occasion  both  be  and  bis  col- 
league seem  to  have  fallen  into  the  mistake  of  several 
medical  theorists,  of  denying  the  reality  of  contagion ; 
and  their  counsels  were  said  to  have  been  productive  of 
extensive  mischief.  Nevertheless  his  reputation  appears 
to  have  suffered  little  from  this  error ;  for  be  was  invited 
by  Ferdinand,  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany,  to  settle  at 
Pisa  in  1599,  where  he  was  ordered  a  stipend  of  eighteen 
hundred  golden  crowns,  which  was  ultimately  raised  to  two 
thousand.  Here  he  died  Nov.  9,  1606,  and  was  interred, 
with  great  honours,  in  a  chapel,  which  be  had  himself 
erected  at  Forli.  He  left  a  large  property  in  money  and 
effects,  among,  which  was  a  valuable  collection  of  pictures  ; 
and  he  made  a  great  number  of  charitable  bequests. 

Mercuriali  was  a  voluminous  writer,  as  the  following 
catalogue  of  his  works  will  evince.  He  was  a  learned  com- 
mentator on  Hippocrates,  and  edited  a  classiBed  collection 
of  bis  works.  Like  the  learned  of  bis  age,  however,  he 
was  bigotted  to  the  doctrines  of  the  ancients,  and  fond  of 
hypothetical  reasoning,  to  the  disparagement  of  sound 
observation ;  and  he  strongly  imbued  his  pupils  with  the 
same  erroneous  principles.  His  first  publication  was  a 
tract  entitled  "  Nomothesaurus,  seu  Ratio  lactandi  Infan- 
tes."    His  second,  the  work  "  De  Arte  Gymnastica,"  be- 


MERCURIALIS.  71 

fore- mentioned*  3.  "  Variarum  Lectionum  in  Medicinae 
Scriptoribus  et  aliis,  Libri  iv."  Venice,  1571.  +.  "  De 
Morbis  Cutaneis,  et  omnibus  corporis  humani  Excremenr 
tis,"  ib.  1 572.  5*  "  Tractatus  de  Maculis  pestiferis  et  Hyr 
drophobia,"  Basle,  1577.  6.  "  De  Pestilentia  in  univerr 
sum,  prasertim  verd  de  Veneta  et  Patavina,"  Venice  1577. 
T,  "  Hippocratis  Opera  Graece  et   Latine,"   ibid.    1578. 

8.  "  De  Morbis  Muliebribus  Praelectiones,'!  Basle,  15$2. 

9.  "  De  Morbis  puerorum  Tractatus  locupletissimi,"  Ve- 
nice, 1583.  10v"  De  Veneois  et  Morbis  venenosis,"  ibid. 
1584.  1 1.  "  De  Decoratione  liber,' '  ib.  1585.  12.  "  Qon- 
sultationes  et  Responsa.  Medicinatia,"  Four  volumes  were 
successively  published  in  1587,  1590,  and  1597 ;  and  were 
republished  together  after  bi$  death.  13,  "Tractatus  de< 
Compositione  Medicamentorum,  D-e.  Morbis  oculorum  et 
auriuro,"  ibid.  1590.  14.  "  De  Hominis  Generatione," 
1597.  15.  "  Comnaentarii  in  Hippoc.  Coi  Prognostics^ 
Prorrhetica,"  &c.  ibid.  1597.  16.  «  Medicina  Practica, 
seu,  de  cognoscendis,  discernendis,  et  curandis  omnibus 
humani  corporis  affectibus,"  Francfort,  1602,  folio.  All 
these  works  have  been  several  times  reprinted,  and  some 
of  them  were  selected  after  bh  death,  and  printed  together, 
under  the  title 'of  "  Opuscula  aurea  et  selectiora,"  Venice, 
1644,  folio.1 

MERIAN  (John  Bernard),  perpetual  secretary  of  the 
academy  of  sciences  at  Berlin,  was  born  at  Leichstal,  near 
Basil,  Sept  27,  1723,  of  a  reputable  family,  and  received 
a  learned  education,  with  the  particulars  of  which,  how- 
ever, we  are  unacquainted.  In  1750  he  was  invited  from 
Holland  to  Berlin,  on  the  recommendation  of  Maupertuis, 
a^nd  died  in  that  city  Feb.  12,  1807,  in  the  eighty- fourth 
year  of  his  age.  The  best  known  of  his  works  were  French 
translations  of  Claudian,  and  of  Hume's  Essays,  the  latter, 
published  at  Amsterdam,  1759 — 1764,  5  vols.  12mo,  en- 
riched with  commentaries  and  refutations  of  the  most  ob* 
jectionable  principles.  He .  translated  also  pome  of  Mi* 
<:haelis's  works.  The  Memoirs  of  tl?e  Academy  .of  Berlin 
contain  several  of  his  pieces  on  philosophical  subjects  and 
on  geometry.  One  of  the  best  is  a  parallel  between  the 
philosophy  of  Leibnitz  and  Kant,  which  was  much  noticed 
on  its  first  appearance*    Merian  bore  an  estimable  private 

i  NiceroB,  vol.  XXVI.— Efey,  Diet.  Hjft,  de  Medicine:— Morari  .—Beet's 
Cyclopaedia. 


Tf  ME  It  IAN.. 

character,  and  preserved-  all  the  activity-  and  rigour  of 
youth  to  a  very  advanced  age.  A  few  day*  before  his 
tieath  he  officiated  as-  secretary  at  a  sitting  of  the  academy, 
to  celebrate,  according  to  custom,  the  memory  of  the 
Great  Frederic. ' 

MERIAN  (Maria  Sibylla),  a  lady  much  and  justly  ce- 
lebrated for  her  skill  in  drawing  insects,  flowers,  and  other 
subjects  of  natural  history,  was  born  at  Francfort  on  the 
Maine,  in  1647;  being  the  grand 'daughter  and  daughter 
of  Dutch  engravers  of  some  celebrity,  whose  talents  were 
continued  and  improved  in  her.  She  was  instructed  by 
Abraham  Mignon.  She  married  John  Andriez  Graff,  a 
skilful  painter  and  architect  of  Nuremberg,  but  the  fame 
she  had  previously  attached  to  her  own  name,  has  pre- 
vented that  of  her  husband  from  being  adopted.  They 
bad  two  children,  both  daughters,  who  were  also  skil-» 
fill  in  drawing.  By  liberal  offers  from  Holland,  this  in- 
genious couple  were  induced  to  settle  there ;  but  Sibylla, 
whose  great  object  was  the  study  of  nature,  had  the  cou- 
rage to  travel  in  various  parts,  for  the  sake  of  delineating 
the  insects*  and  several  other  productions  peculiar  to  each 
country.  She  ventured  to  take  the  voyage  to  Surinam, 
where  she  remained  two  years,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
making  the  drawings  which  have  since  added  so  consider- 
ably to  her  fame;  and,  though  it  does  not  appear  that 
there  was  any  kind  of  disagreement  between  her  and  her 
husband,  she  went,  if  we  mistake  not,  without  him.  His 
own  occupations,  probably,  precluded  such  a  journey. 
Madame  Merian  died  at  Amsterdam  in  1717,  at  the  age  of 
seventy. 

The  drawings  of  this  lady  have  a  delicacy  and  a  beauty 
of  colour,  which  have  seldom  been  equalled,  and  her  de* 
signs  are  still  in  high  estimation,  notwithstanding  the  great 
attention  which  has  since  been  paid  to  the  accurate  execu- 
tion of  such  works.  She  published,  1.  "  The  origin  of 
Caterpillars,  their  nourishment  and  changes;19  written  in 
Dutch;  Nuremberg,  1679 — 1688,  in  2  vols.  4to.  This 
was  afterwards  translated  into  Latin,  and  published  at  Am- 
sterdam, in  1717,  4to.  This  work,  much  augmented  by 
berself  and  daughters,  with  thirty-six  additional  plates 
and  notes,  was  published  in  French  -by  John  Marret,  Am- 
sterdam, 1730,  folio,   under  the  title  of,  "  Histoire  des 

1  Biog.  Diet— Athenaeum,  tqK  II.     . 


M  E  R  I  A  N.  75 

Inieetes  d*  Europe."  2.  "  Dissertatio  de  Generatione  et 
Metamorpbosibus  insectorum  Surinamensium,"  Amst.  1705, 
folio.  This*  contains  only  sixty  plates.  To  some  of  the 
later  editions  twelve  plates  were  annexed,  by  ber  daughters 
Dorothea  and  Helena.  There  is  an  edition  of  tbis  in  folio, 
French  and  Dutch,  printed  at  Amsterdam,'  in  1719.  An- 
other in  French  and  Latin,  1726  ;  and  another  in  Dutch, 
in  1730.  There  have  been  also  editions  of  the  two  works 
united,  under  the  Jitle  of  "  Histoire  des  Insectes  de  l'Eu- 
rope  et  de  PAmerique,"  Atnst.  1730  ;  Paris,  1768 — 1771. 
Many  of  the  original  drawings  of  tbis  artist  are  in  the 
British  Museum,  in  two  large  volumes,  which  were  pur- 
chased by  sir  Hans  Sloane,  at  a  large  price.  The  current 
opinion  is,  that  he  gave  five  guineas  for  each  drawing  ;  but 
tbis  is  not  sufficiently  authenticated.  Of  these  volumes, 
one  contains  the  insects  of  Surinam,  the  other  those  of 
Europe^  and  among  them  are  many  designs  which  have 
never  been  engraved.  Among  those  of  the  Surinam  in- 
sects are  several,  which,  though  very  elegantly  finished, 
appear  evidently,  on  examination,  to  be  painted  on  im- 
pressions taken  from  tbe  wet  proofs  of  the  engravings. 
Those  of  Europe  are,  perhaps,  entirely  original  drawings. 
In  the  engraved  works,  much  less  justice  has  been  done  to 
the  European  insects  than  to  those  of  America.  Matthew 
Merian,  the  father  of  tbis  lady,  published  many  volumes 
of  topographical  engraviugs  and  collections  of  plates  in 
sacred  history.1 

MERLIN  (Ambrose),  a  British  writer,  who  flourished 
towards  the  latter  end  of  the  fifth  century,  but  of  whom 
little  memorial  remains,  except  such  as  is  wholly  disfigured 
by  fictioh,  was  reputed  to  be  both  an  enchanter  and  a 
prophet,  and  to  have  been  begotten  by  an  incubus.  For 
want  of  more  authentic  materials,  we  may  be  allowed  to 
give  the  account  of  Spenser,  in  his  Faery  Queen,  b.  Hi. 
canto  3.  *dhere,  after  speaking  of  his  supposed  magical 
powers,  be  thus  tells  bis  progeny : 

And  sooth  men  say  that  he  was  not  the  sonne 

Of  mortal  syre,  or  other  living  wight, 

But  wondrously  begotten  and  begonne 

By  false  illusion  of  a  guileful  spright 

On  a  faire  lady  noane,  that  whilome  hight 

Matilda,  daughter  to  Pubiclius, 

Who  was  the  lord  of  Mathtraval  by  right, 

« 

*  Moreri.— -Stratt's  Diet,  of  Engravers.— Diet.  Hwt 


74  MERLIN. 

And  coosin,  unto  king  Ambrosius,  -•$ ,  , 

Whence  he  indued  was  with  skill  so  mayveiloip.     ... 

Merlin  is  said  to  have  foretold  the  arrival  and  conquest*:  of 
the  Saxons,  to  which  allusion  is  made  by  Andrew,  of  Wy»f 
town,  in  hi*  fifth  book,  cb.  13,  \ 

The  Saxonys  of  Duche-hmd  .       » 

Arrywyte  that  tyme,  in  Ingiand, 

Merlyne  alsud  mystyly 

That  tyme  made  his  prophecy* 

How  Vortygerne  wyth  hys  falsheede 

Of  Brettane  made  the  kyiigis  dede,  &c> 

It  was  supposed  that  Merlin  did  not  die,  but  was  laid 
asleep  by  magic,  and  was,  after  a  long  period,  to  awake 
and  live  again.  Spenser  alludes  to  this  fable  also.  Ex~ 
travagant  prophecies,  and  other  ridiculous  works  are 
ascribed  to  Merlin,  and  some  authors  have  written  Com* 
mentaries  pn  them,  as  ridiculous  as  the  text.  In  the 
British  Museum  k  "  Le  compte  de  la  vie  de  Merlin  et  de 
ses  faiz,  et  compte  de  ses  prophecies,"  2  vols.  fol.  on 
vellum,  without  date  or  place.  There  is  s>  French  edition, 
3  vols,  sm^ll  folio,  black  letter,  dated  1498.  There  are 
also  other  French  and  Italian  editions.  In  English  we  have 
"  The  Life  of  Merlin,  surnamed  Ambrosius.  His  prophe- 
sies and  predictions  interpreted :  and  their  truth  made 
good  by  our  English  annals,  published  by  T.  Heywood," 
Lond.  1641,  4to.  This  was  Heywood  the  actor,  of  whom 
some  notice  is  taken  in  our  seventeenth  volume.1 

MERLIN  (James),  a  learned  doctor  of  the  Sorbonne, 
born  in  the  diocese  of  Limoges,  was  curate  of  Montmartre, 
and  afterwards  canon  and  grand  penitentiary  of  Paris. 
Having  preached  against  some  persons  belonging  to  the 
court,  who  were  supposed  to  be  favourable  to  the  reformed 
religion,  he  was  confined  in  the  castle  at  the  Louvre,  .1527, 
by  order  of  Francis  I.  and  then  banished  to  Nantes,  from 
whence  he  returned  to  Paris,  1530.  Merlin  was  appointed 
grand  vicar  of  Paris,  and  curate  of  la  Magdelaine.  He 
died  September  26,  1541.  He  was  the  first  who  published 
a  "  Collection  of  Councils;91  of  which  there  are  three  edi- 
tions. It  is  said  to  be  a  compilation  of  great  accuracy  and 
impartiality.  Merlin  also  published  editions  of  *'  Richard 
de  St.  Victor,  Peter  de  Blois,  Durand  de  St  Pourcain,  and 

*  Spenser's  faery  Queen.  — Warton's  Hist,  of  Poetry.— -Afacpherion's  Andrew 
of  Wyntowa,  vol.  1.  p.  118.— Tanner. 


MERLIN.  75 

Origen;*'  and  bas  prefixed  to  the. works  of  the  latter  an 
Apology,  in  which  he  undertakes  to  clear  Origen  from  the 
errors  imputed  to  him.  He  had  a  violent  dispute  on  this 
,subject  with  Noel  Beda.1 

MERRET  (Christopher),  a  physician  and  naturalist, 
born  at  Winchcombe,  in  Gloucestershire, '  in  February 
1614,  was  educated  at  Gloucester-hall,  and  Oriel-college, 
Oxford,  and  after  taking  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1642, 
settled  in  London.  He  appears  to  have  bad  a  considerable 
share  of  practice,  was  a  fellow  of  the  college  of  physicians, 
«id  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  philosophical  so* 
ciety,  winch  after  the  restoration  became  the  royal  society. 
He  died  in  1695.  His  first  publication  was  "A  Collection 
of  Acts  of  Parliament,  Charters,  Trials  at  Law,  and  Judges1 
Opinions,  concerning  those  Grants  to  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians," 1660;  4to<  This  became  the  basis  of  Dr.  Good- 
all's  History  of  the  College*  and  was  followed,  in  1669,. by 
*'  A  short  View,  of  the  Frauds  and  Abuses  committed  by 
Apothecaries,  in  relation  to  Patients  and  Physicians," 
which  involved  him  in  an  angry  controversy,  with  Henry 
fitubbe.  He  also,  in  1662,  published  a  translation  of  Neri's 
work,  "  De arte  vitriaria,"  with  notes;  but  his  principal 
work  was  entitled  "Pinax  Rerum  Natural ium  Britannia 
carum,  continens  Vegetabilia,  Animalia,  et  Fossilia  in  bac 
insula  reperta,"  Lond.  1667,  8vo.  This^  though  incom- 
plete and  erroneous,  was  the  first  of  the  kmo*  relating  to 
this  country,  and  'was  without  doubt  instrumental  in  pro- 
moting the  study  of  natural  history  here*  A  great  portion 
of  his  knowledge  of  plants  was  obtained  through  the  me* 
diura  of  Thoraas  Williselj  a  noted  herbalist,  whom  he  em- 
ployed to  travel  through  the  kiagdom  for  him  during  five 
summers.  Merret  communicated  several  papers  to  the 
royal  society,  which  are  printed  in  the  earlier  volumes  of 
the  Philosophical  Transactions ;  particularly  an  account  of 
some  experiments  on  vegetation ;  of  the  tin  mines  in  Corn* 
wall ;  of  the  art  of  refining;  and  some  curious  observations 
relative  to  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire.1 

MERRICK  (James),  an  English  divine  and  poet,  whom 
bishop  Lowth  characterised  as  one  of  the  best  of  men  and 
most  eminent  of  scholars,  was  the  second  son  of  John 
Merrick,  M.  D.     He  was  born  Jan.  8,  1720,  and  was  edu- 

-  *  Moreri.*— Dapia.— Diet.  Hist. 
*  Ath.  Ox.  woL  lI.~P0ltei»y'i  Sketches,  vol.  U  p.  290, 


76       '  MERRICK. 

cated  at  Reading  school.  After  being  opposed,  (very  un- 
justly according  to  his  biographer)  as  a  candidate  for  a 
scholarship  at  St.  John's,  on  sir  Thomas  White's  founds* 
tion,  he  was  entered  at  Trinity-college,  Oxford,  April  14, 
1736,  and  admitted  a  scholar  June  6,  1737.  He  took  the 
degree  of  B.  A.  in  Dec.  1739,  of  M.  A.  in  Nov.  1742,  and 
was  chosen  a  probationer  fellow  in  May  1744.  The  cele- 
brated lord  North,  and  the  late  lord  Dartmouth,  were  his 
pupils  akthis  college.  He  entered  into  holy  orders,  but 
never  engaged  in  any  parochial  duty,  being  subject  to 
acute  pains  in  his  head,  frequent  lassitude,  and  feverish 
complaints ;  but,  from  the  few  manuscript  sermons  which 
he  left  behind  him,  appears  to  have  preached  occasionally 
in  1747,  1748,  and  1749.  His  life  chiefly  passed  in  study 
and  literary  correspondence,  and  much  of  his  time  and 
property  were  employed  on  acts  of  benevolence.  Few 
men  have  been  mentioned  >  with  higher  praise  by  all  who 
knew  him*.  He  had  an  extraordinary  faculty  of  eiact 
memory ;  had  great  good  nature,  and  a  flow  of  genuine 
wit ;  his  charity  was  extensive,  and  his  piety  most  exem« 
plary.  He  died  after  a  short  illness  at  Reading,  where  he 
had  principally  resided,  Jan.  5,  1769;  and  was  buried  at 
Caversham  church,  near  the  remains  of  hk  father,  mother, 
*    and  brothers.  i 

He  was  early  an  author.  In  1734,  while  he  was  yet  at 
school,  he  published  "  Messiah,  a  Divine  Essay,"  printed 
at  Reading;  and  in  April  1739,  before  be  was  twenty 
years  of  age,  he  was  engaged  in  a  correspondence  with  the 
learned  Reimarus.  The  imprimatur  from  the  vice-chan- 
cellor, prefixed  to  his  translation  of  "  Tryphiodorus,"  is 
dated  Oct  26,  1739,  before  he  had  taken  his  bachelor's 
degree.  In  Alberti's  last  volume  of  Hesychius,  published 
by  Ruhnkenius,  are  many  references  to  Mr.  Merrick's 
notes  on  Tryphiodorus,  which  are  all  ingenious,  and  serve 
to  illustrate  the  Greek  writer  by  historical  and  critical  ex* 
planations;  many  of  them  haye  a  reference  to  the  New 
Testament,  and  show  how  early  the  author  had  turned  his 
thoughts  t6  sacred  criticism.  The  translation  itself  is  cor*- 
rect  and  truly  poetical.     It  is  indeed,  for  his  years,  a  very 

*  Dr.  Hunt,  the  Hebrew  professor,  the  leastof  bis  many  good  qualifications, 

in  a  letterto  Dr.  Doddridge,  dated  Feb.  He  has   every  virtue   which   renders 

1746,   says  of  Mr.  Merrick,  "  There  learning;  amiable  and  useful ;  is  not 

cannot  be  a  more  deserving  man  in  alt  only  a  good  scholar,  bat  (which  Is  in*' 


respects.    His  learning  (which  is  be-    finitely  better)  a  good  Christian." 
yond  comparison  great  for  his  years)  is 


MERRICK.  77 

extraordinary  proof  of  classical  erudition  and  taste,  and 
.was  deservedly  supported  by  a  more  numerous  list  of  sub* 
scribers  than  perhaps  any  work  of  the  time. .  It  was  hand- 
somely printed  ip  an  8vo  volume,  at  the  Clarendon  press, 
but  without  date  or  publisher's  name. 

The  rest  of  Mr.  Merrick's  works  were  published  in  the 
following  order :  1.  "  A  Dissertation  on  Proverbs,  chapter 
ix.  containing  occasional  remarks  on  other  passages  in  sa- 
cred and  profane  writers,"  1744,  4to.  2.  "  Prayers  for  a 
time  of  Earthquakes  and  violent  Floods,"  a  small  tract, 
printed  at  London  in  175.6,  when  tbe  earthquake  at  Lisbon 
had  made  a  very  serious  impression  on  the  public  mind. 
3.  "  An  encouragement  to  a  good  life ;  particularly  ad* 
dressed  to  some  soldiers  quartered  at  Reading,9'  J  759* 
His  biographer  informs  us  that  a  list  is  still  preserved  of 
the  names  of  many  thousand  soldiers,  whom  Mr.  Merrick 
bad  instructed  in  religious  duties,  and  to  whom  he  had 
distributed  pious  books.  Among  the  latter,  Granger  men* 
tions  Rawlet's  "  Christian  Monitor,"  of  which  he  says  Mr. 
Merrick  distributed  near  10,000  copies'  "  chiefly  among 
the  soldiers,  many  of  whom  he  brought  to  a  sense  of  reli- 
gion." 4.  "  Poems  on  Sacred  subjects,"  Oxford,  1763, 
4to.  5.  "  A  Letter  to  the  rev.  Joseph  Warton,  chiefly  re- 
lating to  the  composition  of  Greek  Indexes,"  Reading, 
1764.  In  this  letter  are  mentioned  many  indexes  to  Greek 
authors,  some  of  which  were  then  begun,  abd  others  com- 
pleted. Mr.  Robert  Robinson,  in  the  preface  to  his  "  In- 
dices Tres,"  of  words  in  Longinus,  Eunapius,  and  Hiero- 
cles,  printed  at  the  Clarendon  press  in  1772,  mentions 
these  as  composed  by  the  advice  of  Mr.  Merrick,  by  whose 
recommendation  to  the  delegates  of  the  press  they  were 
printed  at  the  expence  of  the  university;  and  they  re- 
warded the  compiler  with  a  very  liberal  present.  6.  "  An- 
notations, critical  and  grammatical,  on  chap.  I.  v.  1  to  14 
of  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  John,"  Reading,  1764,  8vo, 
7.  "  Annotations,  critical,  &c.  on  the  Gospel  of  St.  John, 
to  the  end  of  the  third  chapter,"  Reading,  1767,  8va 
S.  "  The  Psalms  translated,  or  paraphrased,  in  English 
verse,"  Reading,  1765.  Of  this,  which  is  esteemed  the 
best  poetical  English  version  of  the  Psalms  now  extant, 
the  only  defect  was,  that  not  being  divided  into  stanzas. 
it  could  not  be  set  to  music  for  parochial  use.  This  ob- 
jection has  been  removed,  since  the  author's  death,  by  the 
rev.  W.  D.  Tattersall;  who  with  great  and  laudable  zeal 


TS  MERRICK. 

for  the  improvement  of  our  parochial  psalmody,  has  pub- 
lished three  editions  properly  divided,  and  procured  tune* 
to  be  composed  for  them  by  the  best  masters.  Custom, 
however,  has  so  attached  the  public  to  the  old  versions, 
that  very  little  progress  has  yet  been  made  in  the  intro- 
duction of  Mr.  Tattersall's  psalmody  in  churches  and  cha- 
pels. 9, "  Annotations  on  the  Psalms/'  Reading,  1769, 
4to.  10.  "  A  Manual  of  Prayers  for  common  occasions/* 
ibid;  1768,  12mo.  This  is  now  one  of  the  books  distri- 
buted by  the  society  for  promoting  Christian  knowledge; 
who  have  also  an  edition  of  it  in  the  Welsh  language. 

Mr.  Merrick  occasionally  composed  several  sm^U  poems* 
inserted  in  Dodsley's  Collection ;  and  some  of  his  classical 
effusions  may  be  found  among  the  Oxford  gratulatory 
poems  of  1761  and  1762.  In  the  second  volume  of  Dods^ 
ley's  "  Museum,"  is  the  "  Benedicite  paraphrased"  bjr 
him.  Among  his  MSS,  in  the  possession  of  the  Loveday 
family  at  Willi amscot,  near  Banbury,  are  his  MS  notes  on 
the  whole  of  St.  John's  Gospel,  being  a  continuation  of 
what  he  published  during  his  life.  He  had  begun  an  ela- 
borate and  ingenious  account,  in  English,  of  all  the  Greek 
authors,  in  alphabetical  order,  which  was  left  unfinished  at 
his  death.  It  extends  as  far  as  letter  H  :  the  manuscript 
ending  with  "  Hypsicles."  The  late  rev.  William  EtwaW, 
editor  of  three  dialogues  of  Plato,  with  various  indexes,  in 
1771,  mentions,  in  his  preface,  his  obligations  to  Mr. 
Merrick,  who  was  always  happy  to  communicate  informa- 
tion *,  and  encourage  genius.  The  indexes  of  that  work 
were  composed  according  to  the  plan  recommended  by 
him  in  his  letter  to  Dr.  Warton,  whose  brother,  Thomas, 
in  his  edition  of  "Theocritus,"  in  various  passages,  ex- 
presses his  obligations  to  Mr.  Merrick,  arid  pays  a  just 
compliment  to  his  skill  in  the  Greek  language.  His  know- 
ledge both  of  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  was  truly  critical ; 
and  was  applied  with  great  success  to  the  illustration  of -the 
sacred  writings ;  as  his  annotations-  on  the  Psalms,  and  his 
notes  upon  St.  John,  abundantly  testify.  It  remains  to  be 
mentioned  that  in  the  former  of  these  works,  the  "  Anno- 
tations/' he  was  assisted  by  Dr.  Lowth*  then  bishop  of 

*  In  Larduer's  Works,  vol.  VIII.  corresponded.     See  also  a  letter  from 

p.  167,  we  find  some  curious  obsexra-  him  to  Mr.  Warton  on  "  Theocritus/* 

tions  on  a  fragment  of  Longinus,  com-  in  Wooll's  Life  of  Dr.  Warton,  p.  396, 

municated  by  Mr.  Merrick  to  that  an-  and  another  curious  one  on  Indexes  in 

tfeor,  with  whom  be  appears  lo  hare,  the  same  work,  jx  210. 


MERRICK.  It 

Oxford,  who  supplied  many  of  the  -observations,  and  by  a 
person  whom  he  described  as  "  virum  summa  erudition*, 
iummo  loco"  who  was  afterwards  known  to  have  been  arch- 
bishop Seeker.  Some  remarks  introduced  here  in  opposition 
to  Dr.  Gregory  Sharpens  criticism  on  the  1 10th  Psalm,  pro- 
duced from  that  gentleman"  "  A  Letter  to  the  right  rev.  the 
Lord  Bishop  of  Oxford,  from  the  Master  of  the  Temple, 
containing  remarks  upon  some  strictures  made  by  his  grace 
the  late  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  in  the  rev.  Mr.  Mer- 
rick's Annotations  on  the  Psalms,"   1769,  8.va' 

MERRY  (Robert),  an  English  poet  of  considerable 
merit,  was  born  in  London,  April  1755,  and  was  descended 
in  a  right  line  from  sir  Henry  Merry,  who  was  knighted 
by  James  L  at  Whitehall.  Mr.  Merry's  father  was  gover- 
nor of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company.  His  grandfather,  who 
was  a  captain  in  the  royal  navy,  and  one  of  the  elder  bre* 
thren  of  the  Trinity-house,  established  the  commerce  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  company  upon  the  plan  which  it  now 
,  pursues.  He  made  a  voyage  to  Hudspn's  Bay,  and  disco* 
vered  the  island  in  the  North  seas,  which  still  bears7  the 
name  of  Merry's  island.  He  also  made  a  voyage  to  the 
East  Indies,  and  was,  perhaps,  the  first  Englishman  who 
returned  home  over  land ;  in  which  expedition  he  encoun- 
tered inconceivable  hardships.  Mr.  Merry's  mother  was 
the  eldest  daughter  of  the  late  lord  chief  justice  Willes, 
who  presided  for  many  years  with  great  ability  in  the 
court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  was  for  sometime  first  lord 
commissioner  of  the  great  seal.  Mr.  Merry  was  educated 
at  Harrow,  under  Dr.  Sumner,  and  had  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Parr  as  his  private  tutor.  From  Harrow  he  went  to 
Cambridge,  and  was  entered  of  Christ's  college.  He  left 
Cambridge  without  taking  any  degree,  and  was  afterwards 
entered  of  Lincoin's-inu,  but  was  never  called  to  the  bar. 
Upon  the  death  of  his  fattier  he  bought  a  commission  in 
the  horse-guards,  and  was  for  several  years  adjutant  and 
lieutenant  to  the  first  troop,  commanded  by  lord  Lothian. 
Mr.  Merry  quitted  the  service,  and  went  abroad,  where  he 
remained  nearly  eight  years ;  during  which  time  he  visited 
inost  of  the  principal  towns  of  France,  Switzerland,  Italy, 
Germany,  and  Holland.  At  Florence  he  stayed  a  con- 
siderable time,  enamoured  (as  it  is  said)  of  a  lady  of  dis- 

-  i  CMteft  Hitt.  of  Rea4iDg.-~pod<!ridge'4  Letter**  p.  339,-*Wo»U'ti  Ute  <rf 
W*rfcp,  fee.  . 


*0  MERRY. 

tinguished  rank  and  beauty.  Here  he  studied  the  Italian 
language,  encouraged  bis  favdurite  pursuit,  poetry,  and 
was  elected  a  member  of  tbe  academy  Delia  Crusca.  Here 
also  he  was  a  principal  contributor  to  a  collection  of  poetry, 
by  a  few  English  of  both  sexes,  called  "  Tbe  Florence  Mis- 
cellany." The  name  of  tbe  academy  he  afterwards  used 
as  a  signature  to  many  poems  which  appeared  in  the  perin 
odical  journals,  and  the  newspapers,  and  excited,  so  many 
imitators  as  to  form  a  sort  of  temporary  school  of  poets, 
whose  affectations  were  justly  ridiculed  by  the  author  of 
the  "  Baviad  and  Maeviad,"  and  soon  despised  by  the;  pub- 
lic. Mr.  Merry,  however,  bad  more  of  tbe  qualities  of  a 
poet  than  his  imitators,  although  not  much  more  judgment. 
His  taste,  originally  good,  became  vitiated  by  that  love  of 
striking- novelties  which  exhausts  invention.  Of  hit  poems 
published  separately,  scarcely  one  is  now  remembered  or 
read. 

In  1791  be  married  miss  Brunton,  an  actress,  who  per- 
formed in  his  tragedy  of  "  Lorenzo,*'  and  a  prospect 
opened  to  him  of  living  at  his  ease,  by  the  joint  produc- 
tion of  that  lady's  talents,  and  bis  own  pen ;  but  tbe 
pride  of  those  relations  upon  wbom  he  had  most  depend- 
ence,, was  wounded  by  tbe  alliance ;  and  he  was  con- 
strained, much  against  Mrs.  Merry's  inclination,  to  take 
her  from  tbe  stage.  This  he  did  as  soou  as  her  engage- 
ment at  the  theatre  expired,  which  was  in  tbe  spring  of 
1792.  They  then  visited  the  continent,  and  returned  in 
the  summer  of  1793.  They  retired  to  America  in  1796, 
and  our  author  died  suddenly  at  Baltimore,  in  Maryland, 
Dec.  2<f,  1798,  of  an  apoplectic  disorder,  which  proceeded, 
as  is  supposed,  from  a  plethora,  and  the  want  of  proper 
exercise.  He  was  author  of  the  following  dramatic  pieces, 
viz.  "  Ambitious  Vengeance  ;"  "  Lorenzo  ;"  "  The  Ma- 
gician no  Conjurer;"  and  "  Fenelon,"  a  serious  drama, 
none  of  which  had  great  success. 

Mr.  Merry  was  an  accomplished  gentleman,  and  for  many 
years  highly  esteemed  by  a  numerous  circle  of  friends  of 
rank  and  learning,  but  in  his  latter  years  be  unfortunately 
became  enamoured  of  those  loose  and  theoretical  princi- 
ples which  produced  tbe  French  revolution;  and  this  change 
gave  a  sullen  gloom  to  his  character,  which  made  him  re- 
linquish all  his  former  connexions,  and  attach  himself  to  * 
company  far  beneath  his  talents,  and  unsuitable  to  hip 
habit*.     There  is  reasoq  to  think,  however,  that  his  min4 


MERRY. 


Si 


■ecovered  somewhat  of  its  better  frame  after  he  had  resided 
a  few  months  in  America,  and  had  leisure  to  reflect  on  what 
he  bad  exchanged  for  the  gay  visions  of  republican  fancy. 
Mrs.  Merry,  who  married  Mr.  Warren,  the  manager  of  a 
theatre  in  America/  died  in  1808.1 

MERSENNE  (Marin),  a  learned  French  writer,  was 
born  at  Oyse,  in  the  province  of  Maine,  Sept.  8,  1588. 
He  cultivated  the  belles  lettres  at  the  college  of  la  Fleche ; 
and  afterwards  went  to  Paris,  and  studied  divinity  at  the 
'  Sorbonne.  Upon  his  leaving  the  schools  of  the  Sorbonne, 
he  entered  himself  among  the  Minims,  and  received  the 
habit  of  that  order/  July  17,  J  611.  In  1612  he  went  to 
reside  in  the  convent  of  Paris,  where  he  was  ordained  priest* 
He  then  applied  himself  to  the  Hebrew  language,  which 
he  learned  of  father  John  Bruno,  a  Scotch  Minim.  From 
1615  to  1619,  he  taught  philosophy  and  theology  in  the 
convent  of  Nevers;  and  then  returned  to  Paris,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Study  and  conversation 
were  afterwards  his  whole  employment.  •  He  held  a  cor- 
respondence with  most  of  the  principal  men  of  his  time; 
being  as  it  were  the  very  centre  of  communication  between 
literary  men  of  all  countries,  by  the  mutual  correspondence 
which:  he.  managed  between  them ;  and  was  in  France 
what  Mr.  Collins  was  in  England.  .  He  omitted  no  oppor- 
tunity to  engage  them  to  publish  their  works ;  and  the 
world  is  obliged  to  him  for  several  excellent  discoveries, 
which  would  probably  have  been  lost,  but  for  his  encou- 
ragement;'and  on  all  accounts  he,  had  the  reputation  of 
being  one  of  the. best  men,  as  well  as  philosophers,  of  his 
time.  He  was  the  chief  friend  and  literary  agent  of  Des 
Cartes,  in  particular,  with  whom  he  had  contracted  a 
friendship .  while  he  studied  at  la  Fleche,  which  continued 
to  his  death.  He  was  that  philosopher's  chief  agent  at 
Paris.  Thus,  when;  Mersenne. gave  out  in  that. city,  that 
Des  Carter  was. erecting  a  new  system,  of  physics  upon  the 
foundation  of  a;vacuum,  and  found  the  public  very  indif- 
ferent to  it  on  that' very  account,  it  was  said,  that  he  im- 
mediately sent  intelligence  to  Des  Cartes,  that  a  vacuum 
was  not  then  the  fashion  at  Paris';  which  made  that  philo- 
sopher change  his  system,  and  adopt  the  old'  doctrine  of  a 
plenum.  -  In  the  mean  time,  Mersenne's  residence  at  Paris 
did;  not  .hinder  him.  from  making  several  journies  into 
foreign  countries^  for  he<  went  to  Hollaiid  in  1629,  and 


VOE.XXIL. 


1  Gent.IH.aff.  roi.  LXtX^-Bioj,  D  *». 


G 


SOt  MERSENNE, 

stayed  a  year  there ;  and  he  was  in  Italy  fottr  times ;  in 
1639,  1641,  1644,  and  1646.  He  fell  sick,  in  L64&,  o£ 
au  abscess  iu  the  right  side,  which  the  physicians,  took  to* 
be  a  bastard  pleurisy ;  and  bled  him  several  times  to  na 
purpose.  At  last  it  was  thought  proper  to  open  the*  side? 
but  he  expired  in  the  midst  of  the  operation,  when,  he  was 
•almost  sixty  years  of  age*  He  ordered  the  physicians  aft' 
his  death  to  open  bis  body,  which  they  did,  and  found  art 
abscess  two  inches  above  the  place  where  they  had  opened 
his  side ;  sa  that,  if  the  incision*  had  been  made  at  the 
proper  place,  his  life  might  possibly  have  been  saved* 

He  was  a  man  of  universal  learning,  but  excelled  sol 
much  in  physical  and  mathematical1  knowledge,  that  Dee 
Cartes  scarcely  ever  did  any  thing,  or  at  least  was.  not 
perfectly  satisfied  with  any  thing  he  bad  done,  without  finis 
knowing  what  Mersenne  thought  of  it.     He  published  4 
great  many  books,  the  first  of  which  occasioned  him  soma 
trouble*     The  title  is,  "  Qusestiones  celeberriraee  in  Ge«*. 
nesim^  cum  accurata  textus  explication© :  in  quo  voIumine> 
athei  &  deisti  impugnantur^"  &c.  Paris*  16213.     Two  shorts* 
of  this  book,  from  column  669  to  column  676  inclusive* 
were  suppressed  by  him.;  and  it  ia  very  difficult  to  meet 
with  any  copy  in  which  these  sheets  are  not  taken  outv 
He.  bad  given  there  a  list  of  the  atheists. of  his  time,,  men- 
tioned their  different  works,  and  specified  th»i»  opinions*, 
as  appears  from  the  index  in  the  word  Athei*  which  haw 
not  beenr  altered*     Whether  this  detail  was  thought  eft 
dangetous  consequence,  or  whether  Mersenne;  had?  ev~ 
larged  too  much  the  number  of  atheists,   is  was  judged; 
proper  that  he  should  retrench  alii  he  badi  said  upon  that: 
subject.     Baillet  calls  Mersenne*  to  whose  671st  page  he- 
refers,  the  most  credulous;  man  alive-  for  believing*  that 
there  could  be  at  that  time*  as  he- supposes,  50,000  atheist*, 
in  Paris;  and  considers  this  pretended  number,  asaiothiwg* 
more  than  it  fiction  of  the  Hugonota,  that  they  aright  tskfe 
occasion  thence  to  abuse- the  catholics.     In. this  work,  be 
has  undoubtedly  inserted  a  variety  of  things  which  are-  ef* 
at  nature  foreign  to  bis  maifr  subject;    Thus  he  oalls  it  »> 
his  title-page,  <<Opu»ibeologisrphilosophis,  medacis,  juri»». 
consultis,  mathematician  musicis  vero  &  catoptricis  pr«Q<- 
sertim  utile  "     His  largesfrdigression  relates  to  music,,  wbicfr 
he  had  studied,  and  upon  which  he  wrote  several  boobs*  • 
He  attacks  also  Dr.  Robert  Fludd,  fellow  of  the  college  of 
physicians  in  London;  the  severity  of  whose  answers  raised 
up  many  defenders  for  Mersenpe,  and  among  the  rest  the 


M  E  It  S  E  N  H  E.  83 

illustrious  Gassendi,  whose?  tract  on  this  subject  was  printed 
at  Paris  in  16£fy  under  this  title :  *f  Epistolica  exercitatio, 
in  qua  prsecipua  principia  philosophise  Robert!  Fludd  dete* 
guntur,  &  ad  recentes  illius  libros  adversus-  patrem  Mari- 
num  Mersennum  scriptos  respondetur."  This  piece  is  re- 
printed1 in  the  third  volunte  of  Gassendi's  works  at  Paris-, 
in  1658,  under  the  title  of  u  Examen  philosophise  Flud- 
danae,"  &c. 

Mersenne  was  a  man  of  good  invention  ;  and  had  a  pe«* 
culiar  talent  in  forming  carious  questions*  though  be  did 
Hot  always  succeed  in  resolving  them;  however,  he  at 
least  gave  occasion  to.  others  to  do  it.  It  is  said  he  in* 
vented  the  Cycloid,  otherwise  called  the  Roulette.  Pre* 
sently  the  chief  geometricians  of  the  age  engaged  in  the 
contemplation  of  this  new  curve,  among  whom  Mersenne 
himself  held  a  distinguished  rank. 

Mersenne  was  author  of  many  useful  works,  particularly 
the  following  :  1.  "  Questiones  celeberrimae  in  Genesim,** 
already  mentioned.  •  2. ((  Harmonicorum  Libri."  3.  "  De 
Sonorum  Natura,  Causis,  et  Effectibus."  4v  "  Cogitata 
Pbysico-Mathematica,"  2  vols.  4to.  5.  t(  La  Veriti  des 
Sciences."  6.  "  Lesr  Questions  inouies."  He  has  also  many 
letters  in  the  works  of  Des  Cartes,  and  other  authors. * 

MERTON  (Walter  de),  the  illustrious  founder  of 
Morton  college,  Oxford,  which  became  the  model  of  all 
other  societies  of  that  description,  was  bishop  x>f  Rochester 
and  chancellor  of  England  in  the  thirteenth  century.  0£ 
his  personal  history  vei*y  little  is  known.  From.a  pedigree 
of  him,  written  about  ten  years  after  his  death,  we  learn, 
that  he  was  the  son  of  William  de  Merton,  archdeacon  of 
Berksin  1224,  1231,  and  1236,  by  Christina,  daughter  of 
Walter  Fitz-Oliver,  of  Basingstoke.  They  were  botl* 
buried  in  the  church  of  St.  Michael,  Basingstoke,-  where, 
the  scite  erf  their  tomb  has  lately  been  discovered.  Their 
son  was  born  at  Merton,  in  Surrey,  and  educated  at  the 
convent  there*  So  early  as  1239  he  was  in  possession  of  a? 
fenrily  estate,  as  well  a*  of  one  acquired.  From  his*  mo- 
ther he  received  tb$  manor  of  St.  Johh»  with  which' he 
crftnmencetfa  public  benefactor,  by  founding,  in  12$ I,  the? 
hospital  of  xSt;  Johrr,  for  poor  and  infirm  «clergy ;  andafwtf 
Ae  'foundation  of  Merton  college,  it  was-  appointed  itt  tiid 
rtatqtes,  that  ttie  infeurabiy-sick  fellows  or  scholar^  of  ft&£ , 


,J  l^/i/.'Vi 


1  HUarigtuIi  Coste's  Vie.de  Mersenne.— Geu.  D]ct.— Niceron,  vol.  XXXI I JU 
^Holie^'i  Diet:   '*     \  '"'   '■'■■'■  '  *    ■    ;   ' 


84  M  E  R  T  O  N. 

college  should  be  sent  thither;  and  the  office  of  master 
was  very  early  annexed  to  that  of  warden  of  Merton.  Not 
many  years  ago,  part  of  the  chapel  roof  of  this  hospital  re- 
mained, pannelled  with  the  arms  of  Merton  college  in  the 
intersections,  and  one  of  the  gothic  windows  stopped  up  j 
but  all  this  gave  way  to  a  new  brick  building  in  1773. 

According  to  Mr.  Denne  (Custumale  Roffense,  p.  193), 
he  occurs  prebendary  of  Kentish  town,  and  afterwards  bad 
the  stall  of  Finsbury,  both  of  them  in  the  church  of  St. 
Paul's,  London.  He  held  in  1259  a  prebend  in  Exeter 
cathedral ;  and,  according  to  Browne  Willis,  was  vicar  of 
Potton  in  Bedfordshire  at  the  time  of  bis  promotion  to  the 
see  of  Rochester.  Other  accounts  say,  that  he  was  first 
canon  of  Salisbury,  and  afterwards  rector  of  Stratton.  He 
became  eminent  in  the  court  of  Chancery,  first  as  king's 
clerk,  theh  as  prothonotary,  and  lastly  rose  to  be  chancel- 
lor of  England  in  1258.  Of  this  office  he  was  deprived  in 
the  same  year  by  the  barons,  but  restored  in  1261,  with  a 
yearly  salary  of  four  hundred  marks  ;  and  held  it  again  in 
1274,  in  which  year  he  was  consecrated  bishop  of  Roches- 
ter. He  appears  to  have  been  of  high  csedit  in  affairs  of 
state,  and  consulted  on  all  matters  of  importance,  as  a 
divine,  a  lawyer,  and  a  financier.  His  c|€atn  was  occa- 
sioned by  a  fall  from  his  horse,  in  fording  a  river  in  his 
diocese;  soon  after  which  accident  he  died,  Oct  27th, 
1277.  Notwithstanding  his  liberality,  at  his  death  he  was 
possessed  of  goods  valued  by  inventory  at  51 10/.  of  which 
he  left  legacies  to  the  amount  of  2726/.  His  debts 
amounted  to  746/.,  and  he  had  owing  to  him  about  622/. 
He  was  interred  on  the  north  side  of  St.  William's  chapel, 
at  the  north  end  of  the  cross  aile  in  Rochester  cathedral, 
with  a  marble  monument,  which  had  probably  been  in- 
jured or  decayed,  as  in  1598,  the  present  beautiful  ala- 
baster monument  was  erected  by  the  society  of  Merton  J 
college,,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  celebrated  sir  Henry 
Savile,  then  warden  of  the  college. 

.  With  respect  to  the  foundation  of  this  college,  an  opi- 
nion has  long  prevailed,  which  the  inquiries  of  some  re- 
cent antiqi^aries  have  rendered  doubtful.  It  was  stated  by 
Wood  and  others,  that  Walter  de  Merton  first  fqunded  au 
college  at  Maldon,  as  a  nursery  for  that  at  Oxford  ;  that  at 
a  certain  age  the  scholars  were  rempved  from  Maldon.  to 
Oxford,  where  the  founder  provided  a  house  for  them 
on  the  site  of  the  present  -college,  and  that  the  whole 
establishment  was  not  removal  from  Maldon  to  Oxford 


MERTON.  8.5 

until  the  year  1274,  when  the  third  and  last  charter  was 
obtained.  On  the  other  hand,  bis  original  intention  ap- 
pears to  have  been  to  establish  a  religious  house  at  Maldon, 
consisting  of  a  warden  and  priests,  who  were  to  appropri- 
ate certain  funds,  with  which  he  entrusted  them,  to  the 
maintenance  and  education  of  twenty  scholars  at  Oxford  or 
elsewhere,  and  that  when  he  founded  Merton  college,  he 
removed  the  warden  and  priests  thither.  What  seems  to 
confirm  this  account  is,  that  the  founder  appointed  a  fel- 
low of  Merton  college  to  instruct  such  of  his  students  as 
were  ignorant  of  grammar,  which  would  not  probably  have 
been  the  case  had  they  been  brought  from  a  preparatory 
school. 

Nothing  could  be  more  satisfactory  than  to  be  able  to 
trace  the  progress  of  this  great  work  from  these  small  be- 
ginnings, but  all  that  can  be  now  collected  is,  that  having 
purchased  several  tenements,  on  the  ground  where  the 
college  stands,  he  began  bis  erection,  and  by  charter  dated 
Jan;  7,  1264,  established  it  by  the  name  of  Domus  Schola- 
riumdc  Merton.  This  first  charter,  with  the  statutes  pre- 
scribed in  it,  continued  in  force  until  1270,  when  it  was 
confirmed  by  a  second,  in  which  great  additions  were 
made  to  the  endowment  by  estates  in  Oxford,  Oxfordshire, 
and  other  counties ;  the  scholars  were  increased,  and  the 
term  fratres  became  used  as  a  farther  step  towards  the 
present  form.  A  third  charter  was  granted  in  1274.  All 
these  which  respect  the  creation  in  1264,  the  enlarge- 
ment in  1270,  and  the  completion  in  1274,  and  refer  to, 
and  confirm  one  another,  are  now  perserved  in  the  library, 
and  were  consulted  as  precedents  in  the  foundation  of 
Peterhouse,  the  earliest  college  of  the  sister  university, 
and  probably  of  others  in  both  universities.  The  first  offi- 
cers of  Merton  were  appointed  in  1276.  It  yet  remains  to 
be  noticed  that  Walter  de  Merton's  preference  of  Oxford 
is  thought  to  have  been  owing  to  his  better  acquaintance 
with  the  place,  there  being  a  tradition  that  he  studied 
some  time  among  the  canons  regular  of  Oseney,  or  in 
Manger  hall,  in  St.  Martin's  parish,  Oxford.  By  the 
assistance  of  subsequent  benefactors,  Merton  college  was 
progressively  raised  to  its  present  state,  in  which  it  consists 
of  a  warden,  twenty-four  fellows,  two  chaplains,  fourteen 
portionista  or  postmasters,  four  scholars,  and  two  clerks.1 

»  Wood1*  College*  and  Hall*.— Chapmen's  HiiL  of  Oxford. 


S6  M  E  R  U  L  A. 

MORULA  (George),  an  Italian  of  very  uncommon  ta- 
lents and  learning,  was  born  at  Alexandria,  in  the  dacby 
of  Milan,  about  1420.     His   family   name   was   Merlani, 
which  he  exchanged  for  Merula.     He  was  the  disciple  of 
Phileyphus,  and  taught  polite  literature  at  Venice  and  at 
Milan  for  forty  years,  and  laboured  with  great  success  in 
restoring  and  correcting  ancient  authors.     Jovius .calls  him 
"  Grammaticorum.  exactissimus,"  the  most  exact  of  gram- 
marians ;  and  Erasmus,  in  his  "  Ciceronianus,"  represents 
him  as  a  man,  who  translated  the  Greek  authors  with  a 
dignity  and  elegance  sufficient  to  rank  him  with  many  of 
the  ancients.     He  died  at  Milan  in    1494.     His  original 
works  are  of  the  historical  kind,  the  most  distinguished  of 
which  is  his  "  Antiquitates  Vicecomitum,  lib.  X."  fol.  with- 
out place  or  date,  but  printed  at  Milan  about  the  begin- 
ning of  the  sixteenth  century.     This  only  extends  to  the 
death  of  Matthew,  whom  the  Italians  are  accustomed  to  call 
"  the  Great."     The  style  is  pure,  but  be  has  adopted  too* 
many  of  the  fabulous  reports  of  the  old  chronicles,  and  is 
in  other  respects  incorrect  as  to  dates  and  facts.     It  is  not, 
however,,  to  this,  or  his  other  historical  pieces  that  he  ow£* 
his  reputation,  which  was  more  substantially  built  on  the 
aid  he  gave  in  the  restoration  of  classical  learning,  as  one 
of  the.  first  editors  of  ancient  authors.     It  is  to  him  we  are 
indebted  for  the  first  edition,  collectively,  of  the  "  Scrip- 
tores  de  re  Rustica,"  Cato,  Varro,  Columella,  and  Palla- 
dius,  which  he  published  at  Venice,   1472,  fol.  with  notes. 
He  also  published  the  first  edition  of  Plautus,  at  Venice, 
1472,  fol.  and  assisted   in   the   publication  of  the  early 
editions  of  Juvenal,  Martial,  and  Ausonius,  and  translated 
several  of  the   Greek  authors.     His  Juvenal  is  entitled 
li  Enarrationes  Satyrarum  Juvenalis,  per  Georgium  Meruloua 
Alexandrinum,"  Tarvisii  (Trevigny)  1478,  fol. 

From  these  works  the  character  of  Merula  justly  stood 
high;  but  whether  he  was  naturally  vain  and  arrogant,  or 
spoiled  by  flattery,  .his  disposition  was  jealous  and  irrita- 
ble, and  he  treated  some  of  his  learned  contemporaries 
with  that*  species  of  harshness  and  contempt  which,  al- 
though in  all  ages  the;  disgrace  of  literature,  seems  reviving 
in  our  own.  In  our  authorities  may  be  found  an  account 
of  his  quarrels  with  bis  old  master  Philephus,  with  Politian, 
whom  he  once  declared  the  only  scholar  in  Italy  that  had 
any  share  of  merit,  and  with  others,  in  whose  cases  his 
provocations  were  so  trifling,  that  we  may  be  justified  in 


MERULA.  <8? 

asctikiftg  the -virulence  of  his  style  in  controversy  to  the 
worst  of  sources.  It.  is  said,  however,  that  at  his  death  he 
repented  of  his  conducttowards  Politian,  at  least ;  earnestly 
desired  'to  be  reconciled  to  him,  and  ordered  that  every 
thing  he  had  written  against  that  illustrious  scholar  should 
be  expunged  from  his  works.1 

MERULA  (Paul),  or  Vah  Merle,  a  very  learned  Hol- 
lander, -was  born  at  Dort,  Aug.  19,  1558;  and  went  to 
France  and  Geneva,  to  study  the  law.  Afterwards  he  tra* 
yelled  to  Italy,  Germany,  and  England ;  -and,  having  been 
absent  nine  years,  returned  to  Dort.  Here  be  frequented 
the  bar  four  years,,  and  then  quitted  it  for  the  professorship 
of  history,  which  was  vacated  by  the  cession  of  Justus  Lip- 
sius  in  1592.  It  has  been  thought -a  sufficient  encomium 
on  him  that  he  was  deemed  worthy  to  succeed  so  great  a 
man.  In  1598,  the  curators  of  the  university  of  Leyden 
joined  to  his  professorship  the  office  of  public  librarian,  va- 
cant by  the  death  of  the  younger  Dousa-  He  married  in 
1589,  andiiad  several  children.  He  hurt  his  constitution  so 
much  by  an  overstrained  .application  to  books,  that  he  died 
July  20,  1607,  when  "he  was  no  more  than  forty-nine. 
Meruia  was  the  author  or  editor  of  several  works,  some  of 
the  principal  of  which  are,  1.  "  Q.  £nnii  annalium  libro- 
ram  xviii.  fragmenta  oollecta  '&  commentariis  illustrata," 
Lfiat.  1595,  4 to.  2.  "  Eutropii  Historiae  Romanse,  libri  x." 
1592,  8vo;  but  more  complete  with  the  entire  notes  of 
Glareanus  and  Merula,  Leyden,  1594,  8ro.  3.  "  Urbis 
RomaB  delineatio  &  methodica  ex  variis  anthoribus  descrip- 
tion* 1529.  ,4.  "Vita  Desiderii  Erasmi  ex  ipsius  manu 
fideliter  representata.  Additi  sunt  epistolarum  ipsius  libri 
duo,"  1607,  4to.  5.  "  Cosmographiae  generalis  libri  tres. 
Item  geographic  particularis  libri  quatuor,  quibus  Europa 
in  genere,  speciatim  Hispania,  Gallia,  Italia  describuntur, 
cum  tabulis  geographicis,"  1605,  4to.  This  work  went 
through  many  editions;  but  its  use  is  now  superseded »by 
the  more .  accurate  labours  of  subsequent  geographers. 
Merula  published  several  other  works  enumerated  in  our 
authorities.  * 

.  MESENGUY  (Francis  Philip),  a  French  divine,  was 
born  at  Beauvais,  August  22,  1677.  After  having  .been 
a  literary  professor  for  several  years,  in  the  college  of 
that  place,  he  was   invited  by  his  friends  to  Paris,  and 

Vossius  de  Hist  Lat— TllPaboschi.^-Gioguene  Hist.  Lit.  D'ltalie,   vol.  III. 
•-Niceron,  vols.  VII.  and  X. — Roscee's  Life  of  Lorenzo,—  3axii  Onomait. 
*  Foppeo  Bibl.  Bel#.— Nicerorf,  vol.  XXVI. 


•8  MESENGUY. 

there  soon  became  coadjutor  to  Coffin,  then  principal  of 
the  college  of  Beauvais.  His  zeal  for  some  points,  not 
approved  at  court,  particularly  his  opposition  to  the  bull 
Unigenitus,  having  undermined  his  favour  there,  he  quitted 
the  college  in  1728,  and  lived  the  remainder  of  his  days  in 
literary  retirement,  though  still  at  Paris;  and  from  this 
time  employed  himself  in  several  considerable  works. 
This  mode  of  life  was  so  congenial  to  his  feelings,  which 
were  of  a  candid  and  tranquil,  kind,  that  he  attained  the 
age  of  eighty-six,  and  died  Feb.  19,  1763.  He  wrote, 
1.  for  the  use  of  his  pupils,  while  employed  in  the  college, 
his  "  Exposition  de  la  doctrine  Chretienne,"  6  vols.  12mo. 
This1  work,  though  written  with  clearness  and  precision, 
contained  some  passages  not  approved  at  Rome,  and 
therefore  was  condemned  by  Clement  XIII.  in  1761.  2. 
*  Abreg6  de  l'Histoire,  &  de  la  morale  de  PAncien  Testa- 
ment,". Paris,  1728,  12mo;  highly  commended  by  Rollin.'. 
a.  "  Abr6g6  de  l'Histoire  de  l'Ancien  Testament,  avec  dea 
Iclaircissemens  et  des  reflexions,"  Paris,  10  vols,  in  l2mo. 
This  is  also  a  useful  work,  and,  as  may  be  supposed, 
chiefly  an  extension  of  the  former  plan.  4..  An  edition  of 
the  New  Testament,  with  short  notes.  5.  "  La  constitu- 
tion Unigenitus,  avec  des  remarques,"  12mo,  6.  "  Let- 
tres a un  Ami  sur  la  constitution  Unigenitus"  also  in  12 mo. 
7.  "  Entretiens  sur  la  Religion,"  12mo.  This  author  had 
also  a  large  share  in  the  lives  of  the  saints,  published  by 
the  abbe  Goujet ;  and  in  the  Missal  of  Paris.1, 

MESSIS.     SeeMATSYS. 

MESTON  (William),  an  ingenious  burlesque  poet  of 
Scotland,  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Midmar  in  Aberdeen- 
shire, about  1688,  He  received  a  liberal  education  at  the 
Marischal  college  in  Aberdeen,  and,  after  finishing  his 
studies,  became  one  of  the  teachers  in  the  high-school  of 
New  Aberdeen.  Thence  he  removed  into  the  family  of 
Marshal,  to  be  preceptor  to  the  young  earl  of  that  name,- 
and  his  brother,  afterwards  marshal  Keith ;  and,  in  1714, 
by  the  interest  of  the  countess,  was  appointed  professor  of 
philosophy  in  the  Marischal  college.  He  did  not  long  re- 
tain this  situation,' for,  when  the  rebellion  broke  out  in 
1715,  be  followed  the  fortunes  of  his  noble  patrons,  who 
made  him  governor  of  Dunotter  castle.  After  the  defeat 
at  Sheriffmuir,  he  lurkfed  among  the  mountains,  till  the  act 
pf  indemnity  was  passed,  with  a  few  fugitive  companions, 

»  Diet.  Hist 


MES.TON.  SO 

for  whose  amusement  and  his  own,  he  composed  several  of 
the  burlesque  poems,  which  he  called  "  Mother  Grim's 
tales.99  He  appears  to  have  remained  steady  to  his  princi- 
ples, and  consequently  was  not  restored  to  his  professor- 
ship; but,  while  the  countess  of  Marshal  lived,  resided 
chiefly  in  her  family ;  where  his  great  pleasantry  and  live-* 
liness  made  him  always  an  acceptable  guest.  After  her 
death,  he  must  have  been .  for  some  time  without  much 
provision,  till  he  commenced  an  academy  at  Elgin,  in  con- 
junction with  his  brother  Mr.  Samuel  Meston.  He  was, 
however,  little  formed  for  prudence  and  regularity,  but 
much  more  given  to  conviviality  ;  for  which  cause  proba- 
bly, among  others,  this  academy  at  Elgin  after  a  time 
began  to  decline.  He  then  successively,  settled  at  Turiff, 
in  Aberdeenshire*  and  at  Montrose,  where  he  lost  his 
brother  and  coadjutor.  He  made  the  same  attempt  at 
Perth,  but  soon  after  entered  as  preceptor  into  the  family 
of  a  Mr.  Oliphant.  Here  he  qontinued  till  his  health  de- 
clined, when  he  removed  to  Peterhead  for  the  benefit  of 
the  mineral  waters.  There  be  was  chiefly  supported  by 
the  bounty  of  the  countess  of  Errol,  under  whose  patron- 
age he  had  formerly  undertaken  the  academy  at  Turiff. 
At  length  he  removed  to  Aberdeen,  where  he  was  taken 
care  of  by  some  relations,  till  he  died  of  a  languishing  dis- 
temper in  the  spring  of  1745.   . 

Meston  is  said  to  have  been  one  of  the  best  classical 
scholars  of  his  time,  and  by  no  means  a  contemptible  phi- 
losopher and  mathematician.  His  wit  also  was  very  lively, 
and  shone  particularly  in  jovial  meetings,  to  which  un- 
happily he  was  rather  too  strongly  addicted.  His  poems 
were  first  published  separately,  as  they  were  written,  and 
doubtless  by  way  of.  assisting  him  in  bis  necessities. 
That  called  "  the  Knight,9!  appears  to  have  been  first 
printed  in  1723;  and,  after  it  bad  received  several  cor- 
rections, a  second  edition  was  printed  at  London.  The 
first  decade  of  "  Mother  Grim's  Tales,"  afterwards  ap- 
peared; and  next,  the  second  part,  by  Jodocus,  her  grand- 
son. Some  years  after,  the  piece  called,  "  Mob  contra 
Mob.'* .  The  whole  were  first  collected  in  a  small  volume, 
12 mo,  at  Edinburgh,  in  1767,  to  which  a  short  account  of 
his  life  is  prefixed,  whence  the  present  memoirs  have  been 
extracted.  "The  Knight,"  and  several  others  of  hi* 
poems,  are  in  the  style  of  Butler,  whom  he  greatly  ad- 
mired and  imitated,  perhaps  too  servilely!  yet  with,  some 


$0  M.ES.T  ON. 

ftucbess.  In  the  -second  decade,  written  under  the  name 
of  Jodocus,  there  are  several  poems  in  Latin,  and  tbe 
title  was  in  that  language.  It  runs  thns :  "  Decadem  al- 
teram, ex  probatissimis  auctoribus,  in  usum  Jtrventtttis 
Knguse  Latins,  praesertim  veroe  poeseos  studios®,  selectarn, 
et  in  scholis  ad  propagandam  fidem  iegendam:  admrxtis 
subinde  nonoullis,  in  gratiam  Pulchrioris  Sexus,  vernaculis, 
subjunxit  Jodocus  Gpimolns  Aniculae  nostras  pronepos." 
His  Latin  poetry  is  of  no  great  excellence.1 

METASTASIO  (Peter),  the  most  illustrious  poet  of 
modern  Italy,  whose  true  name  was  Trapassi,  was  born 
at  Rome  Jan.  6,  1698,  the  second  son  of  Felice  Trapassi 
of  Assisi.  Felice,  though  a  free  citizen  of  Assisi,  was  very 
poor,  and  settled  at  Rome  in  a  small  way  of  business.  His 
son  was  very  early  distinguished  for  an  extraordinary  talent 
at  speaking  extemporary  verses ;  and,  at  ten  years  old, 
used  to  attract  a  little  audience  in  the  street  by  the  melody 
of  his  voice,  and  the  sweetness  of  his  unpremeditated 
poetry.  The  celebrated  Gravina,  among  others,  acci- 
dentally heard  him,  and  was  so  charmed  with  his  talents, 
that,  with  the  consent  of  his  parents,  he  undertook  to  give 
him  an  education  ;  and  changed  his  name  from  Trapassi  to 
Meta&tasio,  a  kind  of  Italianized  Greek  translation  of  the 
former  na/ne  :  and  so  much  was  he  pleased  with  his  dispo-' 
sition  and  talents,  that  he  finally  adopted  him,  and  made 
kirn  his  heir. 

Though  Gravina  had  first  noticed  his^  young  friend  for 
tps  extraordinary  poetical  talents,  be  was  very  desirous 
afterwards  to  wean  him  from  that  delightful  art,  and  fix 
him  to  his  own  profession  of  the  law ;  an  attempt  which 
has  equally  failed  in  the  case  of  many  other  celebrated 
poets.  Metastasio  struggled  hard  to  obey  his  patron  ;  but 
bis  passion  for  poetry  was  insuperable,  and  Gravina  was 
obliged  to  give  way  a  little,  and  put  the  best  poets  into  his 
hands.  Thus  indulged,  he  produced  at  fourteen  the  tra- 
gedy of  "  Giustiho,"  written  to  please  his  master,  exactly 
on  the  Greek  model.  Gravina  appears  to  have  been  so 
mollified  by  this,  as  to  be  still  more  indulgent  to  his  na- 
tural propensity,  and  carried  him  at  eighteen  to  Naples, 
that  he  might  contend,  in  singing  extemporaneous  verses, 
with  the  most  celebrated  improvisstori  of  Italy.  This  he 
did  with  a  success  that  confirmed  and  much  extended  his 

1  Life,  af  above. 


METASTASIO.  91 

fMrie.'  The  order,  clearness,  and  learning,  with  which  he 
treated  the  subjects,  the  sweetness  of  his  voice,  the  grace 
<^f  his  action,  his  modest  deportment,  with  the  expression, 
j^eauty,  and  dignity  of  his  countenance,  gained  'him  uni- 
versal admiration.  But  with  his  poetical  studies,  Meta* 
stasio  continued  to  pursue  that  of  the  law ;  and  in  order  to 
obtain  a  passport  to  the  two  most  promising  roads  to  pre* 
ferment  in  'Rome,  assumed  the  clerical  habit,  and  took  the 
minor  order  of  priesthood.  Hence  he  is  usually  styled 
Abate. 

<  At  the  age  of  twenty  be  lost  his  excellent  preceptor  and 
patron,  Gravina,  who  died  in  1718.  Metastasio,  whose 
writings  evince  him  to  have  been  all  tenderness,  bewailed 
bis  death  in  the  celebrated  elegy  called  "  La  strada  della 
Gloria,"  and  found  when  the  will  was  examined,  that  he 
was  made  heir  to  all  his  fortune.  Being  now  become  a 
patron,  instead  of  a  dependant,  he  kept  a  handsome  table, 
?t  which,  as  may  be  supposed,  he  easily  obtained  guests : 
he  abandoned  the  law,  and  cultivated  poetry  ;  and  in  about 
two  years  found  himself  nearly  at  the  end  of  bis  15,000 
crowns,  Which  had  been  the  bequest  of  his  patron.  He 
flow  went  to  Naples,  with  a  serious  intention  to  return  to 
the  study  of  the  law ;  but  his  instructor  Paglietti  was  harsh, 
the  admirers  of  his  poetry  were  numerous,  and,  in  1721, 
we  find  him  addressing  an  epithatamium  to  the  marquis 
Pignatelli,  at  the  desire  of  the  countess  of  A 1  than.  His 
drama  of  Endymion,  the  first  that  he  produced  expressly 
for  music,  was  written  about  the  same  time.  He  went  on, 
though  partly  by  stealth,  on  account  of  the  inexorable 
lawyer  under  whom  he  was  studying ;  till  the  acquaintance 
of  the  Romaniua,  the  greatest  singer  and  actress  of  the 
time,  finally  determined  him  to  quit  both  his  preceptor 
and  that  profession  which  he  had  ever  studied  so  unwill- 
ingly- The  effect  of  his  first  opera,  "  The  Garden  of  the 
Hesperides,"  upon  the  audience,  is  described  as  singular 
in  the  extreme.  By  the  beauties  of  the  verse,  the  excel* 
lence  of  the  sentiments,  and  every  species  of  merit,  the 
audience,  usually  noisy,  was  charmed  into  profound  atten- 
tion, and  the  whole  was  heard  with  a  silence  then  perfectly 
Uncommon  in  the  Italian  theatres. 

From  this  time  Metastasio  united  his  family  establishment 
frith  that  of  the  Romanina  and  her  husband,  and  lived  the 
Hfe  of  a  poet,'  amidst  harmony  and  poetry.  Thus  situated, 
he  wrote  within  a  short  period,  three  more  dramas;  "  Catone 


fS  METASTASIO.- 

t 

in  Utica,"  a  Ezio,"  and  "  Semiramide  riconosciata." 
But  it  was  now,  in  1729,  the  thirty-second  year  of  Meta- 
stases life,  that  he  was  to  change  his  country.  A  letter, 
dated  Aug.  31,  in  that  year,  from  prince  Pio  of  Savoy* 
invited  him  to  the  court  of  the  emperor,  as  coadjutor  to 
signior  Apostolo  Zeno,  in  the  office  of  imperial  laureat. 
All  matters  of  appointment  being  settled  to  his  mind,  be 
resolved,  though  with  reluctance,  to  quit  Italy,  and  his 
Italian  connections,  for  this  new  country:  and  he  actually 
arrived  at  Vienna  in  July  1730.  From  this  time  the  life 
of  Metastasio  was  uniform,  even  beyond  what  is  usual  to 
men  of  letters.  He  resided  continually  in  one  city,  Vienna; 
and  in  one  house,  that  of  M.  Martinetz  :  with  the  /excep- 
tion only  of  a  visit  in  the  autumn,  which  for  a  long  time 
was  annual,  to  the  countess  of  Althan  in  Moravia,  where 
he  sought  health  from  the  bracing  air  of  the  mountains. 
To  make  the  uniformity  of  his  life  more  singular,  he  was 
naturally  and  habitually  attached  to  an  exact  regularity, 
and  passed  one  day  precisely  as  he  passed  another,  al- 
lotting particular  hours  for  particular  occupations.  His 
usual  routine  was  this,  according  to  the  report  of  Dr.  Bur~ 
ney.  "  He  studied  from  eight  in  the  morning  till  noon  ; 
then  he  visited  his  friends,  and  those  families  and  indi- 
viduals from  whom  he  had  received  civilities.  He  dined 
at  twb ;  and  at  five  received  his  most  familiar  and  intimate 
friend 3.  At  nine,  in  summer,  he  went  out  in  his  carriage, 
visited,  and  sometimes  played  at  ombre >  a  game  which 
he  liked  better  than  those  of  mere  chance,  as  it  afforded 
him  exercise  of  mind  in  calculation.  He  returned  home 
at  ten  o'clock,  supped,  and  went  to  bed  before  eleven." 
This  monotonous  mode  of  life  has  by  some  been  ridiculed, 
and  certainly  would  not  be  expected  in  a  poet;  but  the 
varieties  of  human  nature  are  endless,  and  in  him  the  love 
of  order  had  superseded  the  more  common  passion  for 
change  and  variety.  A  very  interesting  part  of  the  history 
of  Metastasio,  is  his  long  and  steady  friendship  with  the 
celebrated  Farinelli.  From  appearing  first  before  the  pub- 
lic about  the  same  time,  the  one  as  a  singer,  the  other  as 
a  poet,  in  1723,  they  called  each  other  Gemelli,  or  twins  ; 
and  their  attachment,  which  was  of  the  most  sincere  and 
ardent  kind,  ended  only  with  tbeir  lives,  which  were  ex- 
tended nearly  to  the  same  period.  His  other  tuneful  friend 
died  early,  namely,  in  the  beginning  of  1734,  and,  as 
a  mark  of  her  regard,  left  him  heir  to  all  her  property, 


METASTASIS  93 

after  the  death  of  her  husband,  to  the  amount  of  25,000 
crowns  ;  but  Metastasio,  with  his  usual  sense  of  propriety, 
and  with  great  generosity,  relinquished  the  whole  bequest, 
*nd  restored  it  to  the  disposal  of  her  husband. 

"  Whether  Metastasio's  connection  with  the  Romanina 
.was  purely  Platonic,"  says  Dr.  Burney,  "  or  of  a  less  se- 
raphic kind,  I  shall  not  pretend  to  determine;  but  the 
husband  residing  in  the  same  house  with  them,  both  at 
Naples  and  at  Rome,  and  the  friendly  manner  in  which  the 
poet  always  mentioned  htm  in  his  letters  to  the  wife,  with 
the  open  manner  in  which  he  expressed  his  affliction,  in 
writing  to  him  after  her  death,  would,  in  England,  be 
thought  indications  favourable  to  conjugal  fidelity.  But  a 
chaste  actress,  and  opera  singer,"  he  adds,  "is  a  still 
more  uncommon  phenomenon  in  Italy,  than  in  Britain." 
The  ideas  of  that  country  are  indeed  totally  different  from 
those  which  we  entertain  on  these  subjects  ;  and  it  is  very 
probable,  that  the  mutual  attachment  of  Metastasio  and 
his  wife  gave  great  pleasure  to  the  husband  Bulgarini,  as 
£n  honour  conferred  upon  his  family. 

In  1738  Metastasio  was  honoured  by  the  voluntary  gift 
of  nobility,  from  the  city  of  Assisi.  In  1740  he  lost  his 
patron,  the  emperor  Charles  VI.  His  place  was,  however, 
continued  under  Charles  VII.  and  Francis  I.  the  successor 
•f  that  prince.  Through  the  interest  of  Farinelli  he  after* 
wards  enjoyed  also  the  regard  and  patronage  of  the  court 
of  Spain,  for  which,  though  he  did  not  visit  the  country, 
he  was  often  employed  to  write. 

-  Thus  lived  Metastasio.  Always  employed  in  writing, 
sometimes  by  imperial,  sometimes  by  regal  command :  al- 
ways anxious  about  the  merit  of  his  productions,  and 
always  composing  such  as  ought  to  have  removed  all 
anxiety.  He  died,  after  a  short  illness,  on  the  12th  of 
April,  1782,  being  just  eighty-four.  Farinelli,  a  letter  to 
whom,  from  mademoiselle  IVJartinetz,  gives  the  most  ^ex- 
act account  of  his  death,  lived  only  to  September  of  the 
same  year.  Metastasio  was  interred  in  the  parish  church 
of  St.  Michael,  in  Vienna.  His  funeral  rites  were  per- 
formed with  splendor  by  signior  Joseph  Martinetz,  whom 
he  had  made  his  heir.  The  inheritance  he  left,  "consisted 
in  a  well  furnished  habitation,  a  coach,  horses,  a  great 
quantity  of  princely  presents,  a  very  ample  and  select  col- 
lection of  books,  with  a  capital  of  130,000  florins ;  from 
which;  however,  were  to  be  deducted  twenty  thousand  for- 


»4  METASTASIO. 

# 

each  of  Metastases  sisters,  and  three  thousand  for  each  of 
bis  younger  brothers.'!  The  circumstances  of  his  life  are 
chiefly  preserved  by  means  of  his  letters,  a  large  collec- 
tion of  which  has  been  published ;  and  they  are  used  by 
his  English  biographer  for  amplifying  the  narrative.  His 
correspondents  are  among  the  most  extraordinary  men  of 
his  time,  and,  in  all  points  of  view,  his  character  vfcas  re- 
spectable, and  indeed  amiable.  Hist  life  has  frequently 
been  written,  and  his  works  appear  united  in  edition*  pub* 
lished  in  several  parts  of  Europe.  He  was  an  enemy  t<> 
that  pompous,  verbose,  and  obscure  style  which  prevailed 
in  his  country  a  few  years- ago  ;  and  he  was  persuaded  that 
the  first  duty  "of  a  writer,  in  prose  or  verse,  is  to  be  un- 
derstood. "  The  style  of  Metastasio,"  says  an  Italian  cri* 
tic,  "  never  fails  to  please  those  who  give  way  to  their  own 
feelings,  more  than  persons  of  profound  meditation ;  and 
I  would  rather  be  accused  of  partiality  to  him  whom  I  ve- 
nerate and  love,  than  ranked  with  cold  philosophers  and 
deep  thinkers,  whom  I  may  respect  but  cannot  love/9  He 
regarded  "  Atilio  Regolo,"  as  his  best  opera ;  "  Betulia 
liberata,"  as  his'  best  oratorio  ;  and  "  Artaserse,"  as  the 
most  fortunate  of  bis  dramas ;  for,  however  set  or  sung,  it 
was  always  successful.  To  give  a  list  of  his  works,  as  they 
are  always  found  collectively,  would  be  superfluous.  Dr. 
Burney.  has  given  one  that  is  very  ample,  and  arranged  in 
chronological  order,  with  the  character  and  peculiarities  of 
each.  Hence  it  appears,  that  he  produoed  twenty-six 
operas,  eight  oratorios,  or  sacred  dramas,  besides  occa- 
sional pieces,  such  as  we  should  call  masques,  in  great 
numbers;  with  cantatas,  canzonets,  sonnets,  and  every' 
kind  of  miscellaneous  poetry.  He  wrote  also,  sometraos- 
lations  from  classics ;  an  excellent  analysis  of  Aristotle'* 
poetics,  entitled  "  Estrato  dell1  Arte  Poetica  d'Aristotiie* 
et  oonsiderationi  sue  la  medesima ;"  with  short  accounts  of 
all  the  Greek  dramas,  tragic  and  comic,  and  bis  own  cri- 
tical remarks.  Few  authors  have  been  more  prolific,  «  and 
none,  perhaps,  so  completely  successful  in  every  effort  of 
the  mind.  It  is  a,  pleasing  reflection  that  Metastasio  wa& 
always  as  much  beloved  for  his  amiable  qualities-,  as  ad-4 
mired  for  those  by  which  he  was  constituted  a  poet,  and! 
one  of  the  most  enchanting  of  all  poets.  Perfectly  master 
of  the  resources  of  his  art,  he  reduced  the  opera  to  rules. 
He  banished  from  it  machines,  and  other,  improbabilities** 
which  amuse  the  eye  without  affecting  the  heart;  substi* 


M  E  T  A  STASIO.  98 

tuting  natural  situations  of  interesting  personages,. which, 
often  produce  the  full  effect  of  tragedy.  His.  actions  ar* 
great,  bis  characters  well  conceived  and  supported,  and 
his  plots  conducted  with  address.  There  are  scenes  of 
Metastases,  says  Voltaire,  worthy  of  Corneille  when  he 
avoids  declamation,  or  of  Racine  when  he  is  not  languid. 
Never,  therefore,  was  patronage  better  bestowed  thart  that 
of  Grayina;  and  though  such  talents  could  not  have  been 
bidden,,  their  early  maturity  and  final  perfection  must  be 
in  a  great  part  attributed  to  the  culture  and  attentions  of 
that  able  roaster.  * 

METEREN  (Emanuel  de)  a  protestant  historian,  was 
born  at  Antwerp  July  9,  1535.  His  father,  Jacob  de  Me- 
taeren,  was  of  Balda;  his  mother,  Ortelia,  was  the  daughter 
of  William  Ortelis,  or  Ortelius,  of  Augsburgh,  grand* 
father  of  the  celebrated  geographer,  Abraham  Ortelius. 
He  wps  carefully  educated  in  the  languages  and  sciences, 
and  when  a  youth,  is  reported  to  have  attempted  to  trans* 
late  the  Bible  into  English,  which,  says  fiullart,  made  his 
x&ligious  principles  to  be  suspected.  His  father,  who  had 
embraced  the  protestant  religion,  being  obliged  to  take 
refuge  in  England,  took  this  son  with  him,  and  gave  him? 
the  choice  of  continuing  his  studies,  or  embarking  in  com- 
mence. Emanuel,  having  preferred  the  latter,  was  sent  to 
Antwerp,  and  engaged  with  a  merchant  in  that  city,  where 
he  continued  about  ten  years,  but  his  father  had  not  the' 
happiness  to  witness  his  progress,  as  he  and  his  wife  were 
drowned  in  their  passage  from  Antwerp  to  London.  Ema- 
nuel, during  his  residence  at  Antwerp,  after  this  disaster, 
employed  his>  leisure  hours  in  collecting  information  re- 
specting the  history  of  the  Netherlands;  and  having  ac- 
qvured'  the  confidence  of  various  persons  of  eminence  in 
the  government*  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  much  secret 
history  of  the  times,  which  be  published  under  the  title  of 
"t  Hwtowa.rernm  potissitnum  in  Belgio  gestarum,"  &c.  It' 
appears  that  he  had  sent  some  copies  of  this  work  in  Ger- 
man to  a  friend,  who  was  to  procure  engravings  for  it,  but* 
who  caused  it  to  lie  printed  for  his  own  benefit  in  Latin 
and  German,  yet  with  the  name  of  the  author,  whose  re- 
putation? he  did  not  value  so  much  as  the  profits  of  the 
wotfki  Meteven,  on  hearing  this,  procured  an  order  from 
the*  States  ta  suppress  this  .edition,  which  is  dated  1599, 

■*  Burney's  fcife  df  MctMtesta 


96  METEREN, 

and  afterwards  published  it  himself.  He  was  enabled  t<fc 
revisit  London  again  in  the  reign  of  James  I.  as  consul  for 
the  Flemings.  In  this  office  he  acquitted  himself  with 
spirit  and  ability,  and  wrote  an  ample  volume  of  the  trea- 
ties of  commerce  which  formerly  subsisted  betwixt  the 
English  nation,  the  house  of  Burgundy,  and  the  states  of 
Holland.  He  died  at  Loudon,  April  8,  1612,  and  was 
interred  in  the  church  of  St.  Dionis  Back-Church,  Ferr- 
church-street,  where  his  relict  erected  a  monument  to  his 
memory,  which  was  destroyed  in  the.  great  fire.  * 

METHODIUS,  a  father  of  the  church,  bishop  of  Olym- 
pus,  or  Patera,  in  Lycia,  and  afterwards  of  Tyre  in  Pa- 
lestine, suffered  martyrdom,  at  Cbalcis,  a  city  of  Greece* 
towards  the  end  of  Dioclesian's  persecution  in  the  year  $02 
or  303.     Epiphanius  says  "  that  he  was  a  very  learned 
man,  and  a  strenuous  asser tor  of  the  truth."     St,  Jerome 
lias  ranked   him  in  his  catalogue  of  church  writers;  but 
Eusebius  has  not  mentioned  him ;  which  silence  is  attri* 
buted  by  some,  though  merely  upon  conjecture,  to  Me-. 
thodius's  having  written  very  sharply  against  Origeny  wlw. 
was   favoured   by    Eusebius.     Methodius   composed  in <  a< 
clear  and  elaborate  style  several  works :  a  large  one  "  Against 
Porphyry  jthe  philosopher;"  u  A  Treatise  on  thelResur- 
rection,"  against  Origen;  another  on  "  Pythontssa,"  against 
the  same ;-  a  book  entitled  "  The  banquet  of  Virgins ;"  one 
on  "  Free-will ;"  "  Commentaries  upon  Genesis,  and  the 
Canticles;9'  and  several  other  pieces  extant  in  St  Jerome's 
time.    Father  Combesis  collected  several  considerable  frag* 
ments  of  this  author,  cited  by  Epiphauius,  Photius,  rand. 
others,  and  printed  them  with  notes  of  bis  [own  at  Paris,  in. 
1644,  together  with  the  works  of  Amphilochius  and  An- 
dreas C  re  ten  sis,  in  folio.    But  afterwards  Possious,.  a  Jesuit, 
found  "„  The  Banquet  of  Virgins"  entire,  in  a  manuscript, 
belonging  to  the  Vatican  library ;  and  sent  it,  with  a  Latin:* 
version  of  his  own,  into  France,  where  it  was  printed  in' 
1657,  folio,  revised  and  corrected  -  by  another  manuscript 
in    the   library  of  cardinal  Mazarin.  .  We   cannot  doubt, 
that  this  is  the  true  and  genuine  work  of  Methodius;, as; 
it  not  only  carries  all   the  marks  of  antiquity  in  it,  but: 
contains  word  for  word  all  the  passages  that  Photius  had 
cited  out  of  it     It  is  written  in  the  way  of  dialogue,  after 
the  manner  of  "  Plato's  Banquet  of  Socrates  ;"  with  this 

1  Rallart's  Academie  des  Sciencts,  rol.  I.— Granger.*— Foppen  Bibl,  Belg. 


ME  T  HO  D  I  U  g.  97 

S 

difference,  that  the  speakers  here  are  women,  who  indeed 
talk  very  learnedly  and  very  elegantly.1 

METKERKE,  or  MEETKERCKE,  or  MEKERCHU8 
(Adolphus),  a  learned  writer,  was  born  at  Bruges  in  1528, 
and  passed  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  service  of 'the 
revolted  states  of  the  Low  Countries,  as  counsellor  of  state, 
aftd  envoy  to  the  foreign  potentates.  He  was  employed 
on  an  embassy  to  queen  Elizabeth  in  the  latter  part  of  his 
life,  an  office  which  was  probably  very  agreeable  to  him,  as 
lie  was  a  protestant,  and  had  resided  here  for  the  quiet  en- 
joyment of  his  religion  for  some  time  before  he  was  ap- 
pointed on  the  embassy.  He  appears  to  have  been  an  or- 
nament and  delight  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  second  to 
none  in  literary  accomplishments,  and  was  a  man  also  of 
great  benevolence  and  amiable  temper.  Grief  for  the  loss 
of  his  son  is  said  to  have  hastened  his  death,  which  took 
place  at  London  in  1591,  in  his  sixty-fourth  year.  He  was 
buried  in  the  church  of  St.  Botolph,  Aldersgate,  under  a 
monument  which,  when  that  church  was  rebuilt,  was  con- 
veyed to  Julians,  near  Buntingford,  in  Hertfdrdshire,  the 
seat  of  his  descendants  who  settled  in  this  country,  and 
where  some  of  them  are  still  living.  The  present  owner 
of  the  estate  is  in  possession,  among  others,  of  a  folio  MS. 
of  Greek  and  Latin  poetry  »by  his  ancestor,  the  subject  of 
this  article,  with  additions  by  his  son  Adolphus,  who  died 
without  issue,  and  by  his  son  Edward,  D.  D.  of  Christ- 
church,  Oxford,  professor  of  Hebrew  in  that  university,  and 
prebendary  of  Winchester.  He  became  professor  in  1621, 
and  died  in  1660.  Foppen  asserts  that  sir  Adolphus,  as 
the  ambassador  was  called,  declared  in  writing,  on  his 
death -bed,  that  there  was  no  true  religion  out  of  the  ca- 
tholic church,  and  that  his  daughter  was  so  struck  with  this 
as  to  return  to  Bruges,  arid  to  the  Roman  catholic  religioa: 
As  far  as  respects  the  daughter,  this  may  be  true,  but  her 
father  certainly  died  in  the  protestant  faith,-  as  appears  by 
the  inscription  on  his  monument,  which  Fopplen  is  ob- 
liged to  confess,  is  written  "  stylo  acatholico."  '  Sir  Adol- 
phus published  in  1565,  not  a  translation  of  sortie  pieces  of 
ffitfn  and  Moschus,  as  it  hks*  been  erroneously  Called,  b\x% 
tfee-first  edition  of  "  Bion  and  Rioschus,"  printed  at  Bruges* 
in  1565,  4to,  Gr.  and  Lat.  It  has  a  double  Latin  version 
with  the  Variorum  scholia,  the  elegies  of  PhanocHs,  and 

1  Cave,  vol,  I,*-Dupin. — Lardrier's  Works.  • 

Vol..  XXII.  H 


9&  UETKERKL 

# 

sonre  fragments  of  propertius.  It  is  a  very  rare  and  curious 
edition.  He  translated  into  Latin  verse  "  Theocriti  EpU 
grammata,"  and  published  a  treatise/'  De  veteri  et  recta 
pronuntiatione  lingua  Graecae  Commentarius,"  Bruges,. 
J56.5,  and  Antwerp,  1576,  8vo.  He  contributed  also  to 
editions  of  the  "  Fasti  Consulares,"  "  Vitae  Cfiesarum,*7 
"  Magna  Graecia,"  &c;  and  in  his  political  character  pub- 
lished "A  Collection  of  the  Proceedings  at  the  Peace  of 
Cologne,  in  1579."  * 

METO,  or  METON,  a  celebrated  mathematician  of 
Athens,  who  flourished  43.2  B.  C.  was  the  son  of  Pausanias* 
He  observed^  in  the  first  year  of  the  87th  olympiad,  the 
solstice  at  Athens,  and  published  his  cycle  of  19  years,  by 
which  he  endeavoured  to  adjust  the  course  of  the  sun  anil 
moon^  and  to  make  the  solar  and  lunar  years  begin  at  the 
same  point  of  time.  This  is  called  the  Metouic  period,  ox 
cycle.  It  is  also  called  the  golden  number,  from  its  great 
use  in  the  calendar.  Meton  was  living  about  the  year  412 
B.  C.  for  when  the  Athenian  fleet  was  sent  to  Sicily,  be 
escaped  from  being,  embarked  on  that  disastrous  expedition, 
by  counterfeiting  an  appearance  of  idiotism.* 
\  METOCHITA  (Theodore),  of  Constantinople,  was. 
one  of  the  most  learned  Grecians  in  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury. He  held  considerable  offices  under  the  emperor  An- 
dronicus  the  Elder,  but  in  the  reign  of  his  successor,  was. 
banished,  and  hisVoods  confiscated.  He  was  afterwards 
recalled,  and  died  in  1332,  in  a  monastery  which  he  had 
founded.  He  was  called  a  living  Library,  from  his  great 
erudition  ;  and  left  several  valuable  works,  the  principal 
among  which  are,  "An  Abridgement  of  the  Roman  History,, 
from  Julius  Caesar  to  Constantine  the  Great,"  1628,  4to;. 
*/  The  Sacred  History,"  iu  two  books,,"  translated  by  Herve* 
Paris,  1555,  4to;  "The  History  of  Constantinople  ;"  and. 
^A  Paraphrase  on  Aristotle's  Physics."  In  1790,  was 
published  "  Specimina  operum  Theod.  Metochitae,  cum* 
praefatione  et  notis  primum  vulgata  ab  Jano  Blocb,"  Hau-. 
fiioe,  in.8vo.  * 

'  METROPHANES  CRITOPYLUS,  the  patriarch  o£ 
Alexandria  in  the  seventeenth  century,  was  sent  into  Eng^ 
land  by  Cyrillus  Lucar,  to  be  instructed  in  the  doctrine  and* 

''  *  Foppen  Bib).  Bel^.— Freh'eri  Theatrum;— Gent.  Mag.  vol  LXVlh  where  i&- 
^portrait  of  hipi  copied  from  Foppen'r;*— Saxii  Onomast.  .  * 

8  Moreri.-— Rees's  Cyclopaedia.— Hutton's  Diet. 

3  Vossius  de  Hist.  Gracap-Moreru— • -Saxii  Onomast..  • 


METROPHANES.       9» 

discipline  of  our  church,  and  to  learn  the  English  and' La- 
tin languages.  For  these  purposes  he  applied  to  archbishop 
Abbot,  who  procured  him  admission  into  Baliol  college, 
Oxford,  where  he  remained  until  1622,  at  which  time  be 
was  chancellor  to  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople ;  but  on 
his  return  .to  his  .own  country,  was  chosen  patriarch  of 
Alexandria.  On  his  way  home,  and  while  in  Germany,  he 
drew  up  "  A  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Greek  Church," 
printed  at  Heimstadt,  Gr.  and  Lat.  in  1661.  It  inclines 
chiefly  to  the  protestant  doctrines ;  but  catholic  writers 
have  declared  themselves  satisfied  with  some  parts  of  it. 
The  time  of  his  death  is  not  known,  but  he  is  said  to  have 
been  living  in  1640.1  < 

,  METTRIE  (Julibn  Ofpray  de  la),  a  very  eccentric 
French  author  and  physician,  was  born  at  St.  Maloes  in 
1709.  He  studied  physic  under  Boerhaaye,*  after  which 
he  removed  to  Paris,  and  became  an  army-surgeon  in  the 
French  guards.  The  duke  of  Grammont,  who  was  his  pro- 
tector, being  takep  very  ill  at  the  siege  of  Fribourg,  he 
began,  in  his  attendance  upon  him,  to  speculate  upon  the 
nature  of  the  soul,  and  to  perceive,  as  he  fancied,  that  it 
is  mortal.  He  wrote  "  The  Natural  History  of  the  Soul," 
which  being  highly  impious  in  its  doctrines,  raised  a  storm 
against  him  from  which  his  patron  with  difficulty  could 
defend  him.  He  then  turned  his  pen  against  his  brethren, 
atyd  wrote  "  Penelope,  or  the  Machiavel  in  medicine,"  in 
3;  vols.  12mo.  The  rage  of  the  faculty,  in  consequence  of 
this  satire,  drove  him  out  of  France ;  and  he  retired  to 
Leyden,  where  he  published  u  L'Homme  Machine,"  .a 
treatise  of  materialism,  in  which  the  philosophy  is  as'  in- 
correct and  ill  argued  as  it  is  pernicious.  But  lie  declaims 
with  an  ardour  too  likely  to  captivate  weak  minds,  and 
draw  them  over  to  his  opinions.  This  book  could  not  de- 
tain toleration  even  in  Holland ;  it  was  publicly  burnt,  and 
the  author  obliged,  in  1748,  to  fly  for  refuge  to  Berlin, 
and  at  this  court  he  was  protected,  made  a  member  of  the 
academy,  and  honoured  with  places  under  the  king.  Here 
he  lived  in  tranquillity,  till  his  violent  system  of  bleeding, 
very  like  that  of  Dr.  Sangrado,  put  an  early  period  to  his 
life,  as  it  had  to  those  of  several  patients ;  and  he  died  in 
1751,  being  then  only  48.  ,  His  works  were  published  col- 
lectively at.  Berlin  the  same  year,  in  one  vol  4to,  and  two  * 

}  Sazii  Onomsst*  in  Critopylus.— Ath.  Ox.  vol.  I. 

H  2 


1Q9  METTRIEi    ' 

12 mo.  The  same  kind  of  false  philosophy  pervades  then* 
all.  The  king  of  Prussia,  however,  conferred  on-  him  a 
very  singular  honour,  even  after  his  death;  for  he  wrote 
his  funeral  oration,  which  he  caused  to  be  pronounced  in* 
the  academy  by  one  of  his  secretaries.  Voltaire  said  of 
him,  that  he  was  a  madman  who  wrote  in  a  state  of  intoxi- 
cation. f 

METZU  (Gabriel),  a  Dutch  painter  of  small  portraits, 
was  bqrn  at  Ley  den  in  1615.     His  master  is  not  known, 
Itut  he, studiously  imitated  Gerard  Dow,  and  Mieris.     The 
beauty  of  bis  colouring  is  particularly  esteemed,  and  he 
finished  his  paintings  with  great  labour.     His  subjects  were 
usually  taken  from  low  life,  but  they  were  alL  designed' 
after  nature,  and  represented  with  astonishing  skill ;  such 
as  women  selling  fish,  fowls,  or  game;  sick  persons  at-' 
tended  by  the  physician ;  chemists  in  their  laboratories  ; 
painters  rooms,  shops,    and  drawing-schools,    hung  with 
prints  and  pictures ;  all  which  he  finished  with  extraordi- 
nary neatness,     They  are  not  scarce  in  this  country,  al- 
though highly  valued.     By  confining  himself  so  closely  to 
a  sedentary,  life,  he  became  violently  afflicted  with  the 
stone.     He  submitted  to  the  operation  of  cutting  for  it, 
but  had  not  strength  of  constitution  to  survive  the  opera-  ' 
tion,  and  died  in  1658,  at  the  age  of  forty-three.9 
.  MEULEN  (Anthony  Francis  Vander),  an  eminent'' 
artist,  was  born  at  Brussels  in  1634.     He  was  a  disciple  of 
Peter  Snayers,  a  battle  painter  of  considerable  note,  and 
his  early  progress  gave  strong  promise,  of  his  future  emi- 
nence.    His  ingenious  pictures  attracted  the  attention  of 
M.  Colbert,  the  minister  of.  Louis  XIV.,  who  induced  V. 
Meulen  to  settle  in  Paris;  and  soon  afterwards  introduced 
him  to  the  king,  who  appointed  him  to  attend  and  paint 
the  scenes  of  his  military  campaigns,  gave  him  a  pension  * 
of  2000  livres,  and  paid,  him  besides  for  his  performances* 
He  made  sketches  of  almost  all  the  most  remarkable  events  * 
that  occurred  in  these  expeditions  of  Louis;  designing  upon, 
the  spot  the  encampments,  marches,  sieges,    &c.  of  the 
armies ;  the  huntings  of  the  king  ;*  the  assembling  of  tlje 
officers,  &c:  from  these  he  composed  his  pictures,  which  ' 
are  skilfully  arranged,  with  great  bustle,  animation,  anil 
spirit,  and  executed  with  a  very  agreeable,  thoifgh  hot 
always  a  natural  tooe  of  colour,  and  with  a  sweet  and  • 

i  Diet,  flfet.  *  Argentine,  voK  HI.— Pilkrogtdrtv 


MEULEN.  noi 

/delicate  pencil.  Some'  of  his  pictures  exhibit  uncommon 
fikill  and  taste  in  composition.  Frequently  the  scene  he 
had  to  paint. wa$  flat  and  insipid,  such  as  a  marshy  country 
before  long  extended  walls ;  even  these  he  contrived  to 
render  Agreeable  by  his  judicious  management  of  tbechiarq-r 
scuro,  and  the  pleasiug  groups  which  he  displayed  with 
his  figures*  which,  though  dressed  in  the  stiff  uncouth 
frippery  of  the  French  court  of  that  period,  are  handled 
with  so  much  delicacy  and  corresponding  taste,  that  they 
never  fail  to  please.  He  was  particularly  skilful  in  pouv- 
traying  the  actions  of  the  horse,  of  which  he  has  left  be- 
hind hi®  ,a  nuitober  of  excellent  studies,  drawn  with  great 
care  from  nature.  His  pictures  frequently  include  a  great 
extent  of  country,  and  an  immense  number  of  objects. 
His  perfect  knowledge  of  perspective  enabled  him  to 
manage  the  objects  and  distances  with  the  greatest  ease 
and  effect,  so  that  the  eye  accompanies  the  figures  without 
confusion,  and  assigns  to  each  its  due  action  and  distance. 
He  lived  not  beyond. the  age  of  56,  but  left  a  great  num- 
ber of  pictures,  most  of  which  are  in  France,  but  they  are 
not  very  unfrequent  in  this  country.  * 

MEUN,  or  MEUNG  (John  de),  was  born  at  a  little 
town  of  that  name,  situated  on  the  rivet  Loire,  near  Orleans, 
in  1280,  and  on  account  of  his  lameness  acquired  the  name 
of  Clopinel.  His  range  of  study  appears  to  have  been 
very  extensive,  including  philosophy,  astronomy,  chemis- 
try, arithmetic,  but  above  all,  poetry.  His  talents  recom- 
mended him  to  the  court  of  Philip  le  Bel,  which  he  en- 
livened by  his  wit,  but  often  at  the  same  time,  created 
.enemies  by  his  satirical  remarks.  He  is  supposed  to  have 
/died  about  1364.  His  name  is  preserved  on  account  of 
the  share  he  bad  in  the  celebrated  "  Roman  de  la  Rose*' 
.{see  LoaRis),  which  the  French  efrteem  the  most  valuable 
piece  of  their  old  poetry.  It  is,  says  Warton,  far  beyond 
the  rude  efforts  of  jdl  their  preceding  romancers.  John  of 
Meuo's  share  in  this  poem,  however,  is  inferior  in  poetical 
merit  to  that  of  Loiris,  as  he  had  little  of  his  predecessor's 
inventive  and  poetical  vein ;  but  it  has  strong  satire  and 
great  liveliness.  Chaucer,  who  translated  all  that  was 
written  by  William  of  Lorris,  gives  only  part  of  the  con- 
tinuation of  John  de  Meun.  Some  other  works  are  attri- 
buted to  the  latter,  which  are  of  little  value  unless  as  cu- 
riosities. •. 

*  Argenville,  vol.  III.. — Kees*§  Cyclopaedia.— -Walpole's  Anecdotes. 
f  JWct  HiBU^Bfnnet'i  Manuel  da  Libmk«w--»Warioa't  Hist.  »f  Poetry. 


102  M  E  U  R  S  I  U  S. 

MEURSIUS  (John),  a. learned  Dutchman,  was  born 
in  1579  at  Losdun,  a  town  near  the  Hague,  where  bis 
father  was  minister.  At  six  years  of  age  his  father  began 
•  to  teach  hitti  the  elements  of  the  Latin  language4;  and  the 
year,  after  sent  him  to  a  school  at  the  Hague,  where  he 
continued  four  years.  He  was  then  removed  to  Leyden, 
and  made  so  great  a. progress  in  literature,  that  at  twelve 
be  could  write  with  fluency  in  Latin.  He  advanced  with, 
-no  less  rapidity  in  the  Greek  language,  for  which  he  con- 
ceived a  particular  fondness ;  insomuch  that  at  thirteen  he 
made  Greek  verses,  and  at  sixteen  wrote  a  "  Commentary 
upon  Lycophron,"  the  most  obscure  of  all  the  Greek 
authors.  When  he  had  finished  the  course  of  his  studies; 
and  gained  the  reputation  of  a  person  from  whom  much, 
might  be  expected,  the  famous  John  Barnevelt  intrusted 
him  with  the  education  of  his  children  ;  and  he  attended 
them  ten  years,  at  home  and  in  their  travels.  This  gave 
him  an  opportunity  of  seeing  almost  all  the  courts  in  Eu- 
rope, of  visiting  the  learned  in  their  several  countries,  and 
of  examining  the  best  libraries.  As  he  passed  through 
Orleans,  in  1608,  he  was  made  doctor  of  law.  Upon  hte 
return  to  Holland,  the  curators  of  the  academy  of  Leyden 
appointed  him,  in  1610,  professor  of  history,  and  after- 
ward of  Greek;  and  the  year  following,  the  States'  of 
Holland  chose  him  for  their  historiographer.  In  1612  he 
married  a  lady  of  an  ancient  and  good  family,  by  whom. 
be  had  a  son,  called  after  his  own  name,  who  died  in  the 
flower  of  bis  age,  yet  not  till  he  had  givdn  specimens  bf 
bis  uncommon  learning,  by  several  publications. 

Barnevelt  having  been  executed  in  1619,  they  pro- 
xeeded  to  molest  all  who  had  been  any  way  connected  with 
him,  and  who  were  of  the  party  of  the  Remonstrants', 
which  he  had  protected.  Meursius,  as  having  been  pre- 
ceptor to  his  children,  was  unjustly  ranked  in  this  number, 
although  he  had  nevet  interfered  in  their  theological  dis- 
putes :  but  as  he  had  always  acquitted  himself  well  in  his 
professorship,  they  had  not  even  a  plausible  pretence  to 
remove  him  from  the  chair.  They  used,  however,  all  the 
means  of  ill  treatment  they  could  devise,  to  make  him  quit 
it  of  himself:  they  reproached  him  with  writing  too  many 
books,  and  said  that  the  university,  on  that  account,  did 
not  reap  any  benefit  from  his  studies.  -  Meursius,  thus 
ill-treated,  only  waited  for  an  opportunity  of  resigning  his 
post  with  honour;  and,  at  last,  in  1625,  the  following  fair 
one  presented  itself.    Christiem  IV.  king  of  Denmark, 


M.  £  U  R  S  1  U  S.  103 

offered  him  at  that  time  the  professorship  of  history  ancl 
"politics,  in  the  university  of  Sora,  which  he  bad  just  re- 
established ;  and  also  *  the  place  of  his  historiographer. 
These  Meursius  accepted  with  pleasure,  and  went  imme- 
diately to  Denmark,  where  he  tally  answered  all  the  ex- 
pectations which  had  been  conceived  of  his  capacity,  and 
was  highly  respected  by  the  king  and  the  chief  men  at 
court.  .  He  was  greatly  afflicted  with  the  stone  at  the 
latter  end  of  his  life,  and  died  Sept.  20,  1639,  aji  his 
epitaph  at  Sora  shews;  and  not  in  1641,  as  Valerius  An- 
dreas says  in  his  *'  Bibiiotheca  Belgica." 

^fost  authors  have  agreed  in  extolling  the  ingenuity, 
learning,  and  merit  of  Meursius  :  he  excelled  particularly 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  Greek  language  and  antiquities; 
and  applied  himself  with  such  indefatigable  pains  to  cor- 
rect, explain,  translate,  and  publish  many  works  of  the 
ancients,  that  John  Imperialis  asserted  that  more  Greejc 
authors,  with  Latin  versions  and  emendations,  had  been 
published  by  Meursius  alone  than  by  all  the  learned  to- 
gether for  the  last  hundred  years.  He  was  the  author  and 
editor  of  above  sixty  works,  many  of.  which  are  inserted  in 
the  collection  of  Greek  and  Latin  antiquities  by  Gravius 
and  Gronovhis.  His  "  Eleusinia,  sive  de  Cereris  Eleusinse 
♦sacro  et  festo,"  to  which  all  who  have  since  written  upon 
that  subject  have  been  greatly  indebted,  is  a  very  valuable 
work,  but  now  become  scarce.  We  do  not  know  that  it 
has  been  printed  more  than  twice :  first  at  Leyden,  1619, 
in  4to,  and  afterwards  in  the  seventh  volume  of  Grono- 
vius's  Greek  Antiquities.  The  entire  works  of  Meursius, 
however,  edited  by  Lami,  were  published  in  twelve  large 
volumes  in  folio,  at  Florence,  in  1741 — 63. 

It  seems  almost  heedless  to  observe,  that  the  shamefully 
obscene  Latin  work,  entitled  "  Meursius  de  elegaotiis  La- 
tinae  linguae,"  was  not  written  either  by  this  author  or  his 
"son;  but  was,  as* the  French  biographers  assures  us,  the 
production  of  Nicolas  Chorier,  an  attorney  at  Grenobl^. 
It  probably  had  the  name  of  John  Meursius  prefixed  by 
way  of  throwing  a  ridicule  upon  the  grave  and  learned  pro- 
fessor. His  son  produced,  as  we  have  said,  some  learned 
works,  but  not  such*  as  to  rival  those  of  his  father. ' 

MEXIA  (Peter),  a  historian  of  some  note  in  Spain, 
-when  history  was  mere  compilation,  was  a  native  of  Seville, 

J  Kjcerou,  vol.  XII. — Moreru 


.ia*  '  ■    ■■      M  E  X  I  A*    - 

*.  '  •  * 

.of  a.  family  of  some  rank,  aqd  liberally  educated,  Hv» 
inclination  being  principally  for. historical  studies,  be  w^s 
made  chronograi>her,  perhaps,  what  we  should  call,  histo- 
riographer to  Charles  V.  He  is  also  said  to  have  been  a 
jpoej.  Antonio  has  collected  from  various  authors,  his  con- 
temporaries, opinions  highly  favourable  to  bis  learning  aod 
knowledge....  The  only  fault  imputable  seems  to  be  that  of 
mixing  Latin  words  too  frequently  with  his  Spanish.  He 
died  about.  1532.  His  principal  work,  for  which  he  is 
known  in  this  country,  is  entitled  "  Silvade  varia  l*eccion," 
which  with  the  additions  of  the  Italian  and  French  trans^ 
Jators>  was  published  at  London  under  the  title  of  the 
'"  Treasury  of  ancient  and  modern  Times," .  fol.  TJae 
original  was  first  printed  at  Seville,  in  black-letter,  in  1542, 
fol.  often  reprinted,  and  translated  into  most  European 
languages,  with  additions.  His  other  writings  were,  a 
**  History  of  the  Csesars,"  Seville,  1545,  fol.  likewise  trans- 
lated by  W.  T.  and  enlarged  by  Edward  Grimestoq, 
Xond.  1623.  foL  2.  «  Colloquios  o  Dialogos,"  or  "  Laos 
Asini,"  in  imitation  pf  Lucian  and  Apuleius,  Seville  1547, 
Svo,  often  reprinted  and  translated  into  Italian.  3.  "  Pa- 
rentis de  Isocrates,"  He  }eft  some  MSS.  and  an  utv- 
{inished  life. of  Charles  V. ! 

MEYER  (James),  a  Flemish  historian- of  some  note, 
was  born  near  Bailleul  in  Flanders,  Jan.  7,  1491,  whence 
.he  is  sometimes  called  Baliolanus.  He  became  an  ecclesi- 
astic, and  finally  rector  of  Blackenbergh,  but  had  under- 
taken the  education  pf  youth  as  an  additional  source  of  sup- 
port. *  He  died  Feb.  5,  1552,<  Hb  principal  productions 
are,  1.  "Annates  rerum  Flandricarura,"  folio,  published 
at  Antwerp,  in  J56K  These  annals  are  carried  as  far  as 
,1477,  and  have  been  esteemed,  not  only  for  their  matter, 
but  for  ease  and  purity  of  style,  2.  "  Flandricarum  rerum 
decas,"  printed  at  Bruges,  in  1531,  4to.* 

MEYER,  or  MEYERS  (Jeremiah),  an  excellent  minia- 
ture painter,  was  born  at  Tubingen,  in  the  duchy  of  Wir- 
temberg,  in  1735,  and  came  to  England  in  1749,  with  his 
father,  who  was  portrait-painter  to  the  duke  6f  Wirtem- 
berg,  a  painter,  says  Edwards,  of  small  subjects,  but  of.  no 
great  talent.  His  son  studied  two  years  (1757  and  1758), 
under  JSink,  the  eminent  painter  in  enamel,  to  whom  he 
paid  two  hundred  pounds  for  instruction,  and  two  hundred 

J  Antonio  Bib].  Hist,  •  tficeron*  vol.  X^XIX.— Moreri. 


..  ME  YE;R.  rios 

♦pounds  more  for.  materials  of  his  art;  but  Meyer  soou  sur- 
passedbis  master,  in  (he  elegance  and  gusto  of  his  por- 
traits, a  superiority  which  he1  acquired  by  bis  attention  to 
.the  works  of  sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  who,  as  well  as  himself, 
was  at  that  time  rising  to  fame.  In  1761,  the  Society  far 
.the  Encouragement  of  Arts,  offered  a  premium  of  twenty 
.guineas  for  the  best,  drawing  of  a  profile  of  the .  king,  for 
.the  purpose  of  having  a  die  engraved  from  it ;  and  Meyer 
.obtained  the  prize*  He  was  afterwards  appointed  miniature 
.painter  to  the  queen.  In  1762»  he  was  naturalized  by  act 
of  parliament,  and  in  the  following  year  married  a  lady  of 
considerable  fortune  and  great  accomplishments.  In  1764, 
be  wa$.,appointed  painter  in  enamel  to  his  majesty. 

.He  wrought  both  in  enamel  and  water-colours,  and  bad 
^bo  competitor  until  Mr.  Humphrey,  in  the  latter  process, 
.produced  some  performances  of  exquisite  merit:  but  as 
that  gentleman  soon  quitted  miniature  painting,  be  left 
Meyer  without  a  rival  in  his  department.  Meyer  was  many 
years  a  member  of  the  academy  in  St.  MartinVlane;  and 
at  the  institution  of  the  royal  academy  he- was -chosen  one 
of  the  founders.  He  long  resided  in  Covent-garden,  but 
at  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  retired  to  Kew,  where  be 
.died  Jan.  2Q,  1789.  This  event  was  the  consequence  of  a 
fever  contracted  by  friendly  zeal,  in  the  service  of  a  gen- 
tleman in  a  contested  election.  Mr.  Hayley  says  he  was 
no  less  admirable  as,  a  friend  than  as  an  artist :  and  endeared 
to  all  who.  knew  him  by  a  pleasant  social  vivacity,  and  by 
an  indefatigable  spirit  of  extensive  beneficence.  "  Were 
I  required,"  adds  Mr,  Hayley,  "  to  name  the  individual 
whom  I  believe  to  have  been  most  instrumental  in  pro- 
moting tbe  prosperity  of  others  (without  the  advantages  of 
official  authority,  or  of  opulence),  I  should  say, .  without 
hesitation,  Meyer."  ' 

MEZERAI  (Francis  Eudes  de),  a«  eminent  French  his* 

-torian,  was  born  at  Ry,  near  Argentau  in  Lower  Normandy, 

in  1610.  He  was  educated  in  the  university  of  Caen,  where 

.he  discovered  an  early  inclination  for  poetry  ;  and  had  him- 

<*ell  so  high  an  opinion  of  bis  talent  in  that  art,  that  he 

thought  be  should  be  able  to  raise  both  a  character  and  a 

fortune  by  it.   But,  upon  going  to  Paris,  be  was  dissuaded 

from  pursuing  poetry,  by  Vauquelin  des  Yveteaux,  who  bad 

1  Edwards's  CouHowtion  of  Wal pole's  Anecdotes.~»JJayley,g  Life  of  Rom* 
P*7t  PPf  6&  138, 


106  M  E  Z  E  R  A  I. 

*t>een  the  preceptor  of  Louis  XIII.  and  advised  to  apply 
'  himself  earnestly  to  history  and  politics,  as  the  surest  means 
of  succeeding  in  life.  In  the  mean  time,  that  gentleman 
procured  him  the  place  of  commissary  of  war,  which  he 
held  for  two  or  three  campaigns,  and  then  quitted  it. 
Upon  his  return  to  Paris,  he  resolved  to  spend  the  remainder 
of  bis  life  there;  and,  changing  the  name  of  his  family  as 
t>eing  an  obscure  one,  he  took  the  name  of  Mezerai,  which 
is  a  cottage  in  the  parish  of  Ry.  But  his  little  stock  tff 
money  made  him  apprehensive  that  he  should  not  be  able 
to  continue  long  at  Paris ;  and  therefore,  to  support  him-* 
«elf,  he  bad  recourse  to  writing  satires  against  the  ministry, 
articles  which  were  then  extremely  well  received,  and  for 
-which  he  had  naturally  a  turn.  M.  Larroque,  in  his  Life  of 
Mezerai,  assures  us,  that  he  was  author  of  all  the  piece* 
published  against  the  government  under  the  name  of  San- 
dricourt  They,  are  written  in  a  low  and  burlesque  style, 
jand  adapted  merely  to  please  the  populace.  Larroque  has 
given  us  the  titles  of  nineteen  of  these  pieces,  but  would 
1aot  give  those  of  others  which  Mezerai  wrote,  either 
during  the  minority  of  Louis  XIV,  or  against  cardinal 
Richelieu ;  u  because,"  he  says,  "  they  ought  to  be 
forgotten,  out  of  reverence  to  the  persons  whom  they  at- 
tacked." 

By  these  satires  Mezerai  gained  a  considerable  sum  in 
less  than  three  years;  and  being  now  in  easy  circumstances, 
applied  himself,  at  the  age  of  twenty- six,  to  compile  an 
"  History  of  France."  Cardinef  Richelieu,  hearing  of  hw 
character  and  circumstances,  made  him  a  present  of  two 
hundred  crowns,  with. a  promise  to  remember  him  after- 
wards. He  published  the  first  volume  of  his  history  ih 
1643,  which  extends  from  Pharamond  to  Charles  VI. ;  thte 
second  in  1646,  which  contains  what  passed  from  Charles 
VI.  to  Charles  IX.;  and  the  third  in  1651,  which  com- 
prehends the  history  from  Henry  IH.  till  the  peace  of  Ver- 
vins,  in  1598;  all  in  folio.  This  history  procured  him* 
pension  from  the  king.  It  was  received  with  extraor- 
dinary applause,  as  if  there  had  been  no  history  of  France 
before :  and  perhaps  there  was  none  more  agreeable  as  to 
veracity/  In  1668,  he  published,  :  in  3  vols.  4to,  an 
u  Abridgement  of  the  history  of  France  :"  in  which  there 
being  several  bold  passages,  which  displeased  Colbert,  that 
minister  ordered  Perrault,  of  the  French  academy,  to  tqjl 
Mezerai,  in  his  name,  that  "  the  king  had  not  given  him 


MEZERAi.  107 

Si  pension  of  4000  Hvres  to  write  in  so  free  a  manner ;  that 
hismajesty  had  indepd  too  great  a  regard  to  truth,  to  require 
bis  historiographers  to  disguise  it,  out  of  fear  or  hope ;  but 
that, he  did  not  think  they  ought  to  take  the  liberty  of  re- 
flecting, without  any  necessity,  upon  the  conduct  of  his 
ancestors,  and  upon  a  policy  which  had  long  been  estab- 
lished, and  confirmed  by  the  suffrages  of  the  whole  na- 
tion." Upon  this,  remonstrance,  the  author  promised  to 
retouch  the  passages  complained  of,  which  he  did  in  a 
new  edition,  1672,  in  6  vols.  12mo.  In  this,  however,  he 
was  so  unfortunate  as  neither  to  satisfy  the  public,  who 
were  displeased  to  see  the  truth  altered,  nor  the  minister, 
who  retrenched  half  his  pension.  Mezerai  was  extremely 
piqued  at  this,  and  complained  of  Colbert  in  such  severe 
terms,  as  induced  that  minister  to  deprive  him  of  the  re- 
mainder of  his  pension.  Mezerai  then  declared  that  he 
would  write  history  no  longer;  and  that  the  reason  of  his 
silence  might  not  be  concealed,  he  put  the  last  money 
which  he  recieved  as  historiographer,  into  a  box  by  itself, 
with  this  note :  "  Here  is  the  last  money  I  have  received  of 
the  king ;  he  has  ceased  to  pay  me,  and  1  to  speak  of  hini 
either  good  or  ill."  Mezerai  had  designed  at  first  to  revise 
his  great  work  ;  but  some  friends  giving  him  to  understand 
that  a  correct  abridgement  would  be  more  acceptable,  he 
followed  their  advice,  as  we  have  related*  and  spent  tea 
whole  years  in  drawing  it  up.  The  first  edition  of  it  met 
with  greater  applause  than  even  his  larger  work,  and  wai 
much  sought  after  by  foreigners  as  well  as  Frenchmen; 
Learned  men,,  and  critics  in  historical  matters,  have  re^ 
marked  *many  errors  in  it ;  but  he  did  not  value  himself  at 
all  upon  correctness ;  and  used  to  tell  his  friends,  who  re- 
proached him  with  the  want  of  it,  that  "  very  few  persons 
could  perceive  the  difference  between  a  history  that  is  cor- 
rect and  one  that  is  not  so';  and  that  the  glory  which  he 
might  gain  by  greater  accuracy  was  not  worth  the  pains  it 
would  cost."  ' 

In.  1649,  he  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  French  aca*» 
demy,  in  the  room  of  Voiture;  and,  in  1675,  chosen  pen- 
peflual  secretary  of  that  academy.  Besides  the  works  above- 
mentioned,  he  wrote  a  "  Continuation  of  the  general  his- 
tory of  the  Turks,"  in  which  he  is  thought  not  to  have  suc- 
ceeded ;  "  U  Origine  des  Frangbis,"  printed  at  Amster- 
dam, in  1632  ;  "  Les  Yanit&  de  la  Cour,"  translated  from 
the  Latin  of  Johannes  Sarisburie n sis,  in  164-0;  and  a  French 


to*  ME  Z  E  R  A  L 

translation  of  "Grotius  de  Veritate  Christians  Religionist 
in  1644.    He  died  July  10,  1683,  aged  seventy-three.    He 
A? as,,  according  to  Larroque,  a  man  who  was  subject   to 
strange  humours.     He  was  extremely  negligent  in  his  per- 
son, and  so  careless  in  his  dress,  that  he  bad  more  the  ap» 
pearance  of  a  beggar  than  a  gentleman.     He  was  actually, 
seized  one  morning  by  the  archers  des  pauvrts,    or  .parish 
officers  ;  with  which  mistake  he  was  highly  diverted,,  and 
told  them,  that  "  he  was  not  able  to  walk  on  foot,  but  that, 
as  soon  as  a  new  wheel  was  put  to  his  chariot,  he  would 
attend  them  wherever  they  thought  proper."     He  used  to 
study  and  write  by  candle-light,  even  at  noon-day  in  sum- 
mer; and  always  waited,  upon  hfs  company  to  the  door 
whh<a  candle  in  his  band.  He  had  a  brother,  father  Eudes, 
a  man  of  great  simplicity  and  piety,  whom  he  insidiously 
drew  in  to  treat  of  very  delicate  points  before  the  queen- 
mother,  regent  of  the  kingdom,  who  was  of  the  Medici 
family ;  and  to  lay  down  some  things  relating  to  govern- 
ment and  the  finances,  which  could  not  fail  of  displeasing 
that  princess ;  and  must  have  occasioned  -great  trouble  to 
father  Eudes,  if  the  goodness  of  the  queen  had  not  excused 
the  indiscretion  of  the  preacher.     But  of  all  his  humodrs, 
none  lessened  bim  more  in  the  opinion  of  the  public,  thart 
the  unaccountable  fondness  he  conceived  for  a  man   who 
kept  a  public t  house  at  Chapelleio,  called  Le  Faucbeur. 
He  was  so  taken  with  this  man's  frankness  and  pleasantry, 
that  he  used  to  .spend  whole  days  with  him,  notwithstancU 
ing  the  admonition  of  his  friends  to  the  contrary ;  and  not 
only  kept  up  an  iotimate  friendship  with  htm  during  his 
Jife,  but  made  him  sole  legatee  at  bis  death.     With  regard 
to  religion,  be  affected  Pyrrhonism ;  which,  however,  was 
..not,  it  seems,  so  much  in  his  heart  as  in  his  mouth.    This 
appeared  from  his  last  sickness ;.  for,  having  sent  for  those 
friends  who  had  been  the  most  usual  witnesses  of  his  Licen* 
jtious  talk  about  religion,  he  made  a  sort;  of  recantation, 
which  he  concluded  by  desiring  them  "  to  forget  what  he 
•might  formerly  have  said  upon  the  subject  of  religion,  and 
to  remember,  that  Mezerai  dying,  was  a  better  believer 
than  Mezerai  in  health."  These  particulars  are  to  be  found 
in  his  life  by  M.  Larroque:  bat  the  abb6  Olivet  tells  us, 
•that  he  *?  was  surprised,  upon  reading  this  life,  to  find  Me- 
•zerai'*  character  drawn  in  such  disadvantageous  colours*" 
Mezerai  was  certainly  a  man  of .  many  singularities,,  and 
though  agreeable  wheu  he  pleased  in  his  conversation,'  yet 


MEZERA  t  lot 

full  of  whim,  and  not  without  ill-nature.  It  was  a  constant 
way  with  him,  when  candidates  offered  themselves  for  va- 
cant places  in  the  academy,  to  throw  in  a  black  ball  instead 
of  a  white  one  :  and  when  his  friends  asked  him  the  reason 
of  this  unkind  procedure,  he  answered,  "  that  it  was  to 
leave  to  posterity  a  monument  of  the  liberty  of  the  elec- 
tions in  the  academy."  As  an  historian,  he  is  valued  very 
highly  and  deservedly  for  his  integrity  and  faithfulness,  hi 
relating  facts  as  he  found  them  ;  but  for  this  solely  :  for  as 
to  his  style,  it  is  neither  accurate  nor  elegant,  although  he 
had  been  a  member  of  the  French  academy  long  before  he 
wrote  his  "  Abridgment."  * 

MEZIRIAC  (Claude  Gaspar  Bachet,  Sieur  de),  a 
very  able  scholar,  was  born  at  Bresse  in  1581.  At  the  age 
of  twenty  he  was  admitted  into  the  order  of  Jesuits,  but  out 
his  recovery  from  an  illness,  he  returned  to  a  secular  life 
again.  About  this  time,  he  resided  occasionally  both  at 
iParis  and  Rome ;  and  at  Rome  wrote  a  small  collection 
of  Italian  poems,  in  competition  with  Vaugelas,  who  was 
there  at  the  same  time;  among  which  there  are  imitations 
of  the  most  beautiful  similies  in  the  eight  first  books  of  the 
iEneid.  He  published  also  Latin  and  French  poetry  in 
1621,  and  translated  some  of  Ovid's  epistles,  which  he 
illustrated  with  commentaries,  esteemed  more  valuable 
than  his  translation.  He  is  also  said  to  have  been  welt 
versed  in  the  controversies,  both  in  philosophy  and  reli- 
gion j  and  an  able  algebraist  and  geometrician..  Of  the 
fatter  we  have  a  proof  in  his  edition  of  "  Diophantus,"  en- 
riched with  a  very  able  commentary  and  notes,  Paris, 
1621,  and  reprinted  several  times  in  Germany.  Des  Cartes 
had  a  very  high  opinion  of  his  knowledge  in  mathematical 
science.  Such  was  his  fame  at  one  time,  that  he  was  pro- 
posed as  preceptor  to  Louis  XIII.  upon  which  account  he 
left  the  court  in  great  haste,  and  declared  afterwards,  that 
he  never  felt  so  much  pain  upon  any  occasion  in  his  life : 
for  that  he  seemed  as  if  he  had  had  already  upon  his 
shoulders  the  weight  of  a  whole  kingdom.  He  was,  though 
absent,  made  a  member  of  the  French  academy,  when  in 
its  infancy;  and,  when  it  came  to  his  turn  to  make  a  dis- 
course in  it,  he  sent  up  one,  which  was  read  to  the  assem- 
bly by  Mr.  de  Vaugelas.     He  died   at  Bourg  in  Bresse, 

*  • 

1  Bibl.  Anc.,et  Moderne,  vol.  XXV.  p.  440. — Niceron,  vol.  V.  an  I  X.— *Mo» 
reri,-»Hnft.  de  rAcad±mie  Francoise  deptiis.  16$2  jusqti'a  17-00,  p.  221,  edit. 

p«»;  1730.— aw*  ai*t.  -  i 


.110  MEZIRIAC 

Feb.  26,  1638.  He  left  several  MSS.  in  a  finished  stcltg, 
but  which  have  never  been  printed,  and  had  brought  a 
translation  of  all  Plutarch's  works  with  notes  almost  to  a 
conclusion  when  he  died.1 

MICHAEL  ANGELO.      See    BUONARROTI,    and 
CARAVAGIO. 

MICHAELIS  (John  David),  a  celebrated  biblical  cri- 
tic,  and  professor  of  divinity  and  the  oriental  languages, 
was  born  at  Halle,  in  Lower  Saxony,  in  1717.  His  first 
education  was  private,  out  in  1729  he  was  sent  to  the  pub- 
lic school  of  the  orphan-house,  where  he  studied  divinity 
and  philosophy,  and  at  the  same  time  he  occasionally  at-* 
tended  the  lectures  of  his  father,  who  was  professor  of  di- 
vinity and  the  oriental  languages.  During  the  latter  part 
of  his  time  at  school,  he  acquired  a  great  facility  in  speak* 
ing  Latin/  and  in  thinking  systematically,  from  the  prac- 
tice of  disputation,  in  which  one  of  the  masters  frequently- 
exercised  him.  In  1733,  he  entered  into  the  university  of 
Halle,  where  he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  mathe- 
matics, metaphysics,  theology,  and  the  oriental  languages. 
He  also  prepared  himself  for  pulpit  services,  and  preached 
with  great  approbation  at  Halle  and  other  places.  In  1739 
he  took  a  degree  in  philosophy,  and  soon  after  was  ap- 
pointed assistant  lecturer  under  his  father,  having  shewn 
how  well  qualified  he  was  for  that  situation,  by  publishin 
a  small  treatise  *'  De  Antiquitate  Punctorum  Vocalium. 
In  1741  he  left  his  own  country  with  a  view  of  visiting 
England,  and  passing  through  Holland,  became  acquainted 
with  the  celebrated  Schultens,  from  whom  he  received 
many  marks  of  the  most  friendly  attention.  Upon  his  ar- 
rival in  England,  he  engaged  to  officiate  for  the  German 
chaplain  to  the  court,  who  was  at  that  time  in  an  infirm, 
state  of  health,  and  continued  to  preach  at  the  palace-cha- 
pel nearly  a  year  and  a  half.  During  this  period  he  visited 
the  university  of  Oxford,  greatly  increased  his  knowledge 
of  the  oriental  languages,'  and  formed  an  intimacy  with 
some  of  the  first  literary  characters  of  that  age,  particularly 
with  Dr.  Lowth,  afterwards  bishop  of  London,  on  some  of 
whose  lectures  "De  Sacra  Poesi  Hebraeorum"  he  attended. 
Upon  his  return  to  Halle,  he  resumed  his  labours  as  assist- 
ant to  his  father,  and  delivered  lectures  ou  the  historical, 
books  of  the  Old  Testament,  the  Syriac  and  Chaldee*  Ian- 

,  *  Niceron,  vol.  VI.— » Gen,  Plct.J-Pelision  Hist,  de  1'Academie  Fraacoise, 
p.236.  •  4 


or 


JUCHA.E.LIA 


Hi 


guages,  and  also  upon  natural  history,  and  the  Roman 
classics  ;  but  seeing  no  prospect  of  a  fixed  establishment, 
be  left  Halle  in  1745,  and  went  to  Gottingen,  in  the  capa- 
city of  private  tutor.  In  the  following  year  he  was  made 
professor  extraordinary  of  philosophy  in  the  university  of 
Gottingen,  and,  in  1750,  professor  in  ordinary  in  the  same 
faculty-  In  1751  be  was  appointed  secretary  to  the  newly 
instituted  Royal  Society  of  Gottingen,  of  which  he  after- 
wards became  director,  and  about  the  same  time  was  made 
aulic  counsellor  by  the  court  of  Hanover.  During  175QF 
he  gained  the  prize  in  the  Royal  Academy  of  Berliny  by  a 
piemoir  "On  the  Influence  of  Opinions  on  Language,  and 
Language  on  Opinions."  While  the  seven  years'  war 
lasted,  Micbaelis  met  with  but  little  interruption  in  his* 
studies,  being  exempted,  in  common  with  the  other  pro* 
feasors,  from  military  employment;  and  when  the  new  re* 
gulations  introduced  by  the  French  in  1760,  deprived  them 
Qf  that  privilege,  by  the  command  of  marshal  Broglio  it 
was  particularly  extended  to  M.  Michaelis*  Soon  after 
this,  he  obtained  from  Paris,  by  means  of  the  marquis  de. 
Lostange,  the  manuscript  of  Abulfeda's  geography,  from, 
which  he  afterwards  edited  bis  account  of  the  Egyptians;, 
and  by  the  influence  of  £he  same  noblemanr,  he  was  chosen 
correspondent  of  the  "  Academy  of  Inscriptions  at  Paris," 
in  1764,  and  elected  one  of  the  eight  foreign  members  of 
that  institution*  In  1 760,  the  professor  gave  great  offence 
to  the  orthodox  clergy,  by  publishing  his  "  Compendium 
of  dogmatic  Theology,"  consisting  of  .doctrinal  lectures- 
which  he  had  delivered  by  special  licence  from  the  govern- 
ment. Shortly  after  this,  Micbaelis  shewed  bis  zeal  for 
the  interests  of  science  and  literature,  by  the  part  which 
he  took  in  the  project  of  sending  a  .mission  of  learned  me  a 
into  Egypt  and  Arabia,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  such 
information  concerning  the  actual  state  of  those  countries, 
as  might  serve  to  throw  light  on  geography,  natural  history, 
philology,  and  biblical  learning.  He  first  conceived  the 
idea  of  such,  a  mission,  which  he  communicated  by  letter 
t.o.  the  privy  counsellor  Bernstorf,  who  laid  it  before  his* 
sovereign  Frederic  V.  king,  of  Denmark.  That  sovereign 
was  so  well  satisfied  of  the  benefits  which  might  result  from, 
the  undertaking,  that  he  determined  to  support  the  expence 
of  it,  and  he  even  committed  to  Micbaelis  the.  management 
of  the  design,  together  with  the  nomination  of  proper  tra- 
vellers, and  the  care  of  drawing  up  their  instructions.  Upon 


11*  MICfiAELU 

the  death  of  Gesner  in  1761,  Michaelis  succeeded  ifi  th* 
office  of  librarian  to  the  Royal  Society,  which  he  held 
about  a  year,  and  was  then  nominated  to  the  place  of  di- 
rector, with  the  salary  for  life  of  the  post,  which  he  theri 
resigned.  Two  years  afterwards  he  was  invited  by  thef 
tins:  of  Prussia  to  removeto  Berlin,  but  his  attachment  to' 
Gottingen  led  htm  to  decline  the  advantages  which  were? 
held  out  to  him  as  resulting  from  the  change.  In  1766  he 
was  visited  at  Gottingen  by  sir  John  Pringle,  whom  he  had 
known  in  England,  and  Dr.  Franklin.  With  the  first  he 
afterwards  corresponded  on  the  subject  of  the  leprosy, 
spoken  of  in  the  books  of  Moses,  and  on  that  of  Daniel's 
prophecy  of  the  severity  weeks.  The  latter  subject  was 
disscussed  in  the  letters  which  passed  between  them  during 
1771,  and  was  particularly  examined  by  the  professor. 
This  correspondence  was  printed  by  sir  John  Pringle  in* 
1773,  under  the  title  of  "  Joan.  Dav.  Michaelis  de  Epis*. 
tolae,  &c.  LXX.  Hebdomadibus  D&nielis,  ad  D.  Joan.  Prin- 
gle, B&ronettum  ;  primo  privatim  misses,  nunc  vero'utri- 
usque  consensu  publice  editue."  In  1770,  some  differ- 
ences having  arisen  between  Michaelis  and  his  colleague* 
in  the  Hoyal  Society,  he  resigned  his  directorship.  In 
1775  his  well-established  reputation  had  so  far  removed  the 
prejudices  which  had  formerly  been  conceived  against  him 
in  Sweden,  that  the  count  Hopkin,  who  some  years  before 
had  prohibited  the  use  of  his  writings  at  Upsal,  now  pre- 
vailed upon  the  king  to  confer  upon  him  the  order  of  the 
polar  star.  He  was  accordingly  decorated  with  the  en-.1 
signia  of  that  order,  on  which  occasion  he  chose  as  a  motto 
to  his  arms,  "  libera  Veritas."  In  1782  his  health  begain  to7 
decline,  which  he  never  completely  recovered;  in  1786  he 
was  raised  to  the  rank  of  privy  counsellor  of  justice  by  the 
court  of  Hanover ;  in  the  following  year  the  academy  of 
inscriptions  at  Paris  elected  him  a  foreign  member  of  that 
body;  and  in  1788  he  received  his  last  literary  honour  by 
beiftg  elected  a  member  of  the  Royal  Society  of  London. 
He  continued  his  exertions  almost  to  the  very  close  of  life, 
and  a  few  weeks  before  his  death,  he  shewed  a  friend  seve-- 
ral  sheets  in  MS.  of  annotations  which  he  had  lately  writ-: 
ten  on  the  New  Testament.     He  died  on  the  22d  of  At*- 

4 

gust,  1791,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age.  He  wis- a* 
man  of  very  extensive  and  profound  erudition/  as  well  as-' 
of  extraordinary  talents,  which  were  not  less  brilliant?  that*' 
solid,  as  is  evident  from  the^.  honours  which  were  paid  t<y 


M  I  C  H  A  E  L  I  S.*  113, 

/ 

tys  merits/  and  the  testimony  of  his  acquaintance,  and  con* 
temporaries.     His  application  and  industry  were  unwea-. 
rjed,  and  his  perseverance  in  such  pursuits  as  he  conceited; 
would  pjrove  useful  to  the  world,  terminated  only  with  the  . 
declension  of  his  powers.     His  writings  are  distinguished 
not  only  by  various  and  solid  learning,  but  by  a  profusion 
of  ideas,  extent  of  knowledge,  brilliancy  of  expression, 
and  a  frequent  vein  of  pleasantry.     In  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  (ie  was  regarded  not  only  as  a  literary  character,  but  as 
a  man  of  business,  and  wa,s  employed  in  affairs  of  consider- 
able importance  by  the  courts  of  England,  Denmark,  and 
Prussia.     I^is  .works  are  very  numerous,  and  chiefly  upon , 
the  subjects  of  divinity  and  oriental  languages.     A  part  qf , 
them  are  written  in  Latin,  but  by  far  the  greater  number] 
in   German,      Of  the  former  class  there  are  these  :    1. 
"Commentatio  de  Battologia,  ad  Matth.  vi.  7.'*  Bremen, 
1753,  4to.    2,"  Paralippmena  contra  Polygamiam,''  ibid*. 
1758,  4to,  .3..."  Syntagma  commentationum,"  Goett.  1759 
77-1767,  4(o.     4.  "  Curse  in  versionem  Syriacam  Actuum 
Apostolqrum,"  Goett.  1755,  4to.    5.  "  Compendium  The-t 
ologiae  dogmatipae,"  rb.  1760,  8  vo,     6.  "Cpmmentationes 

*regiae  soc.  Scientiarum  Goettingensis,  per  annos  1758— 
176,2,"  Bremen,  1775,  4to.  7.  "  Vol.^  II.  Ejusdem,  1769.". 
8.  ."  £5picilegium  Geographic  Hebraeorum  exterae,  post, 
Bochartum,"  Goett.  1769 — 1780,  2  torn.  4to.  9.  "  Gram- 
matica  Chaldaica,"  ib.  1771,  8vo.  10.  "  Supplementa  ad 
Lexicon  JJebraicum,"  1784 — 1792,  6  torn.  4to.  11. 
"  Grammatica  Syriaca,"  Halae,  1784,  4to..  The  following 
are  in  German;  12.  "Hebrew  Grammar,"  Halle,  1778, 
8yo.  JL3.  "  Elements  of  Hebrew  accentuation,"  ib.  1741, 
8vo.  14.  "Treatise  on  the  Law  of  Marriage,  according 
to  Moses,"  Qoett.,  1768,  4to.  15.  "Paraphrase  and  Re- 
marks on  tfye  Epistles  of  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  Ephesians, 
Colqssians,  Thessalonians,  Titus,  Timothy,  and  Philemon," 
Bremen,  1769,  4to.  16.  "  Introduction  to  the  Holy  $crip- 
tyres  of  the  New  Testament,"  Bremer),  1750,  8vo.     17. 

.  "  ProphetiQal  plan  of  the  preacher  Solomon,"  ib.  176{2, 
8va  .18.  "  Thoughts  on. the  Doctrine  of  Scripture  con- 
cerning Sin,"  tfenab.  1752,  8yo.  19.  "Plan  of  typical  Divi- 
nity," Brem.  1*763,  8vo.  20.  "  Criticism  of  the  means^ 
employed  to  understand  the  Hebrew  language."  21.  "  Cri- 
-tic^l  Xectures  on  the  principal  Psalms  which  treat  of 
Christ,"  Franfcf.  1759,  8 vq.  22.  "  Explanation  of  the* 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,"  Frank f.  1784,  2  vols.  $to.  23, 
Vol.  XXII.  v  I 


II*  ai  I  C  H  A  E  L  I  s. 


« 


Questions  proposed  to  a  socifety  of  learned  Men,  whd» 
went  to  Arabia  by  order  of  the  king  of  Denmark/9  ib.  1762, 
8Vo.  24.  "  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament,"  a  second 
edition,  Goett.  1788,  2  vols.  4tc*.  25.  *'  MisceNaneotrs 
Writings,"  two  parts,  Frankf.  1766 — 8,  8-vo.  26.  "Pro* 
gramma  concerning  the  seventy-two  translators/ r  Goett. 
1-767,  8 vo.  .27.  "Dissertation  on  the  Syriac  language,, 
and  its  use,"  Qoett.  1768,  8vo*  28.  "  Strictures  concern- 
ing the  Protestant  Universities  in  Germany,"  Frankf.  1775, 
8vo.  29.  "  Translation  of.  the  Old  Testament,"  Goett. 
1769 — 8$,  13  parts.  30.  "  Fundamental  Interpretation  of 
the  Mosaic  Law,"  Frankf.  1770-5,  6  parts,  with  additions, 
Svo.  3!.  "  Of  the  Seventy  Weeks  of  Daniel,"  Goett. 
1772,  £vo.  32.  "  Arabic  Grammar  and  Chrestomathy,*r 
ib'.  1781,  8i*o.  33.  "Oriental  and  exegetical  Library,**' 
Frankf.  1771 — r89,  24  parts,  and  two  supplements,  8vo. 
34.  "  New  Oriental  and  exegetical  Library,"  Goett.  1786—; 
91,  9  parts.  35.  "  Of  the  Taste  of  the  Arabians  in  their 
Writings,"  ib.  1781,  8vo.  36.  "  Dissertation  otf  the  Syriac 
Language  and  its  uses,  together  with  a  Chrestomathy,"  ib, 
1;786,  8vo.  37.  "  On  the  Duty  of  Men  to  speak  Truth,'* 
Kiel,  1773,  8Vo.  38.  "  Commentary  on  the  Maccabees/*" 
Frankfort,  1777,  4to.  39.  "  History  of  Horses,  and  of  the* 
Breedkig  of  Horses  in  Palestine,"  &c.  ib.  1776,  8vo.  4Q„ 
**  Thoughts  on  the  doctrine  of  Scripture  concerning  Sir* 
and  Satisfaction,"  Bremen,  1*779,  8vo.  41.  "Illustration- 
of  the  History  of  the  Burial  and  Resurrection  of  Christ/* 
JIalle,  1783,  8vo.  42.  "  Supplement,  or  the  fifth  Frag- 
ment  of  Lessing's  Collections,"    Halle,  1785,    8vo.     43^ 

*  German   Dogmatic  Divinity/'  Goett.  1784,   8vo.     44.. 

*  Introduction  to  the  Writings  of  the  Old  Testament,1* 
Hamb„l787,  IstvoLlst  part,  4to.  45„  "Translation  of 
the  Old  Testament,  without  remarks,"  Goett.  1789,  2  vols„ 
4to.  46*  "Translation  of  the  New  Testament,"  ib.  1790,, 
2  vols.  4to.  47.  u  Remarks  for  the  unlearned,  relative  td 
his  translation  of  the  New  Testament,"  ib.  1790 — 92,  4« 
parts,  4to.  43-  **  Additions  to  the  third  edition  of  the  In- 
troduction to  the  New  Testament,"  ibid;  1789,  4to.  49.. 
^Ethics,"  a  posthumous  work,  published  by  C.  F.  Stead- 
fin,  Goett.  1792;  2  parts,  8vo- 

Of  those  with  which  the  English  scholar  has  been 
brought  acquainted,  one  of  the  principal  is  the  "  Introduce 
fidn  to  the  New  Testament,"  translated  into  English  from: 
*btf  firs*  edition;  and  published  in  1761,  in  a  quarto  Volume* 


M  1  C  H  A  E  L  1  S;  us 

fn  1738,  the  fourth  edition  was  published  in  two  volume* 
quarto.    The  object  of  this  work;  which  is  purely  critical 
and  historical,  id  to  explain  the. Greek  Testament,  with 
the  tame  impartiality,   and  the  same  unbiassed  Jove  o£ 
truth,  with  which  a  critic  in  profane  literature  would  exa- 
mine the  writings  of  Homer*,  Virgil,  &c*    The  first  volume* 
contain^  an  examination  of  the  authenticity,  inspiration/ 
and  language  of  the  New  Testament,    The  second  volume 
Contains  a  particular  introduction  to  each  individual  bbofc 
of  the  New  Testament;     An  English  translation  of  it  had 
been  published  by  the  rev.  Herbert  Marsh,  in  six  volumes^ 
royal  Svo*     To-  this  we  may  add  another  very  important 
translation  of  his  "  Mosaisches  Heche,"  or  u  Commentaries* 
in  the  Laws  of  Moses,"  by  Alexander  Smith,  D.  D<  minister 
ef  the  Chapel  of  Garioch,  Aberdeenshire,  1 8 1 4,  4  vols.  8voi 
This,  says  the  learned  translator,  has  always  been  esteemed 
the  chef  jPcewvte  of  Michaelis,  but  although  a  work  of  very 
great  importance,  demands  the  application  of  somewhat  of 
that  precautionary  chastening,  which  Dr*  Marsh  has  so  ju- 
diciously applied  in  the  4t  Introduction  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment*"    From  Dr.  Smith,  also,  the  public  have  reason  to. 
expect  a  memoir  of  the  life  and  writings  of  Michaelis^ 
tooref  ample  than  has  yet  appeared  in  this  country ♦* 
•  MICHAELIS  (John  Henry),  a  learned  orientalist,  pro- 
fessor of  divinity,  Greek*  and  oriental  languages,  and  di- 
rector of  the  divinity  school  of  Halle,  was  born  at  Ketten- 
burg,  in  Hohenstein,  July  26,  1668*     His  father  sent  him 
in  1683  to  Brunswick,  to  learn  trade,  but  a  few  month* 
after*  he"  allowed  him  to  be  placed  at  the  school  of  St.  Mar- 
tin in  that  city,  where  the  rector,  M.  Meeringf,  cultivated 
his  talents,  and  found  him  capable,  of  instructing  some  of 
the  younger  scholars.    An  illness  obliging  him  to  leave  this 
place,    he  continued  bis  studies,  at  Nordhausen,  and  in' 
1688  at  Leipsiri,  where  he  went  through  courses  of  phi* 
tosophy  and  divinity;  and  also  studied  the  oriental  lan- 
guages and  rabbinical  Hebrew.     In  1694  he  quitted  Leip- 
sic  for  the  university  of  Halle,  where  he  taught  the  Greek^ 
Hebrew1,  and  Chaldee  with  great  reputation.    Here  he  pub- 
lished^ With  the  assistance  of  professor  Fran  eke,  who  men* 
tions  hitn  respectfully  in  his  "  Pietas  Hallensis,"  a  work- 
entitled  "  Conamina  brevioris  Manuductionis  ad  Doctri* 

. l  Rees's  Cyclopaedia,  abridged  from  a  German  account  translated  in  Dr. 
AikiW  General  Biography.'— See  also  Gent.  Mag.  1792,  p.  222,  and  Dr.  Smith V 
preface  to  the  "  Commentaries  of  the  Laws  of  Moses.'1 

12 


llff  MICHAELI 

nam  de  Acceritibus  Hebreorum  Pfosalcis."  In  1696  btf 
published  another  piece,  entitled  "  Epicrisis  phitologica  de 
icverendi  Michaelis  Beckii,  Ulmebsis,  Disquisitionibu*  phi* 
lologicis,  cum  responsionibus  ad  Examen  XJV,  Dictorj 
Gen."  In  1699,  he  succeeded  Fraricke  in  the  Greek  pro-' 
fessorsbip  at  Halle,  and  in  1707  was  made  keeper  of  the 
university  library.  He  was  afterwards  nominated  professor. 
of  divinity  in  ordinary,,  and  admitted  to  the  degree  of  D.  D. 
In  1732  be  was  made  senior  of  the  faculty  of  divinity,  and 
inspector  of  the  theological  seminary.  He  died  in  1733,, 
at  about  the  age  of  seventy.  He  was  authdr  of  mahy  workd 
besides  those  already  mentioned,  the  titles  of  which  are 
enumerated  in  our  authority.1 

MI^HELI  (Peter  Anthony),  an  Italian  botanist  of 
great  celebrity,  particularly  in  what  is  now  railed  the  cryp- 
togamic  department,  was.  born  at  Florence,  'December  Tip 
1679.  His  parents  were  indigent,  and  took  but  little  care 
of  bis  education.  He  is  said,,  nevertheless,  to  have  been 
destined  to  the  occupation  of  a  bookseller,  but  an  insatwn 
ble  thirst  after  natural  knowledge  over- ruled  all  other  bbt* 
jects*  and  his  good  character,  and  distinguished  arrdour* 
3000  procured  him  the  notice  and  favour  of  the  marquis 
Cosmo  da  Castiglione,  in  whose  family  a  taste  for  botany 
bas  b^en  almost  hereditary,  aod  for  whtmi  ftl&heli  in  bis 
early  youth  made  a  collection  of  Umbelliferous  plantsy 
which,  even  then  proved  his  accuracy  and  disc^rnment- 
Tbis  gentleman  introduced  him  to  the  celebrated  count 
Lawrence  Magalo&i,  by  wbom'he  was  presented  tohis  so* 
vereign,  the  grand  duke  Cosmo  II J.  The  "  Iqstitutienesr 
Rei  Hfirbariss"  of  Too  rue  fort  had  just  appeared  at  Peris; 
and  the  first  pledge  of  the  grand  duke's  favour*  was  a  pre- 
sent of  that  book,  which  to  Micheli,  who  bad  hitherto* 
found  the  want  of  some  systematic  guide,  \vas  a  most  im- 
portant and  welcome  acquisition.  Hg.  speedily : adopted 
the  tone  of  his  leader,  with  respect  to -generic  distioCtioasf 
and  definitions,  and  improved  upon  him  in  a  more  frequent 
adaptation  of  original  specific  ones*  

1n  the  autumn  of  I70p,  the  care  of  the  public  gardefrtit 
Florence,  founded  by  Cosmo  1,  was  confided  to  Micheli, 
and  he  was  commissioned  to  travel,  not  only  in  Italy,  but 
in  various  distant  countries,  tq  Collect  plants,  and  to  esta«* 
blish  a  correspondence,  for  the  benefit  of  his  trust.  By  , 
the  co-operation  of  his  friends  Franchi  and  Gualtierj,  'tli$      j 

1  Moreri. 


MI  CHE  LI.  117 

garden  was  enriched  from  the  then  more  flourishing  one  at 
Pisa;  ami' a  botanical  society. was  instituted  at  Florence  in 
1717)  which  greatly  promoted  the  interests  of  the  science: 
In  the  summer  of.  that  year,  the  great  William  Sherard* 
returning  from  Smyrna  to  England,  visited  Florence  in  his 
way,  and  formed  a  friendship  with  Micheli,  that  continued 
till  his  own  decease  in  1728.  A  frequent  correspondence* 
and  interchange  of  specimens,  took  place  between .  them, 
as  amply  appears  by  the  collections  preserved  at  Oxford, 
and  by  the  writings  of  Micheli. 

Micheli  continued  his  scientific  studies,  as  well  as  his 
bodily  exertions  in  frequent  journies.     The  fruit  of  th6 
former  was   the .  publication  of  his   great  work,  entitled 
?'  Nova  Plantarum  Genera,"  1729,  a  folio  of  1234  pages  and 
108  plates.     The  result  of  his  journies  proved  but  too  soon 
disastrous.  ,  He  spent  near  three  months,  from  the  4th  of 
September  to  the  30th  of  November,  1736,  in  an  excur- 
sion to  the  north  of  Italy,  visiting  the  famous  mount  Bal- 
dus,  and  the.  Venetian  isles;  but  be  caught  a  pleurisy, 
from  the  consequences  of  which  he  never  recovered,  dying 
at  Florence,  January  2,  1737,  new  style,  in  the  fifty-eighth 
year  of  his  age.     He  was  buried  in  the  church  of  Santa 
jCroce,  amongst  the  ashes  of  some  of  the  greatest  men  of 
his  country,  and. of  the  civilized  world,  where  a  neat  mar- 
ble tablet  was  erected  to  his  memory  by  his  associates* 
The  simple  apd.  elegant  inscription  was  probably  composed 
fay  bis  learned  friend  Antony  Cocchi,  to  whom  he  always 
confided  the  revision  of  his  Latin  .  works,  before  publica- 
tion, and  who  delivered  an  Italian  oration  in  bis  praise,  in 
the  council  chamber  of  the  old  palace,  August  7,  1737* 
which  was  soon  after,  published. 

Micheli  is.  described,  by  his  contemporaries  as  a  man  of 
the  most  pleasing,  modest,  and  liberal  manners,,  no  lesp 
ready  to  communicate,  than, eager  to  acquire*  knowledge. 
His  friend  Cocchi  informs  us,  that  "  he  was  endued  with  a 
clear. and  concipe  natural  eloquence;  and  although  the 
poverty  of  bis  parents  deprived  him  of  .the  advantages  of  a 
tainted  education,  be  bad,  by  his  own  application,  ac~ 
x  quired,  with  wonderful  felicity,  a  knowledge  of  Latin."— 
<uWhe  writings jpf  the  fliost  eminent  botanists  were  so.fami- 
Jiarto  him*  that  be  had  learned  to  express  bis  ideas  in  Latin, 
iby  no  means  amiss,  he  having  a  very  quick  perception  a* 
&  any  barbarous  expressions.'9  * 

1    i  Fabroni  Vit»  Italorum,  rol.  iv!— By  sir  J.  Smith  in  toss's  Cyclopedic 


11*  .MICKL  E. 

MICKLE  (William  Julius),  an  ingenious  poet,  was  th$ 
pon  of  the  rev.  Alexander  Mickle  or  Meikle,  who  exchange 
ing  the  profession  of  physic  for  that  of  divinity,  was  ad* 
mined,  at  an  age  more  advanced  than  usual,  into  the  mi* 
nistry  of  the  church  of  Scotland.  From  that  country  he 
removed  to  London,  where  be  preached  for  some  time  in 
various  dissenting  meetings,  particularly  that  of  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Watts.  He  was  also  employed  by  the  book* 
sellers  in  correcting  the  translation  of  Bayle's  Dictionary, 
to  which  he  is  said  to  have  contributed  the  greater  part  of 
the  additional  notes.  In  1716  he  returned  to  Scotland,  on 
being  presented  to  the  living  of  Langholm  in  the  county  of 
Dumfries;  and  in  1727,  he  married  Julia,  daughter  of  Mr.. 
Thomas  Henderson,  of  Ploughlands  near  Edinburgh,  and 
first  cousin  to  the  late  sir  William  Johnstone,  bart.  of  Wes? 
terhall.  By  this  lady,  who  appears  to  have  died  before 
him,  he  had  ten  children. 

Our  poet,  his  fourth,  or  as  some  say,  his  third,  son,  was 
born  Sunday  Sept.  29,  1734,  and  educated  at  the  grammar 
school  of  Langholm,  where  he  acquired  that  early  taste  for 
works  of  genius  which  frequently  ends,  in  spite  of  all  ob- 
stacles, in  a  life  devoted  to  literary  pursuits.  He  even  at- 
tempted, when  at  school,  a  few  devotional  pieces  in  rhyme, 
which,  however,  were  not  superior  to  the  common  run  of 
puerile  compositions.  About  his  thirteenth  year,  he  acci- 
dentally met  with  Spenser's  "  Faerie  Queene,"  which  fixed 
a  lasting  impression  on  his  mind,  and  made  him  desirous  of 
being  enrolled  among  the  imitators  of  that  poet.  To  this 
he  joined  the  reading  of  Homer  and  Virgil,  during  his  edu- 
cation at  the  high  school  of  Edinburgh,  in  which  city  his 
father  obtained  permission  to  reside  in  consideration  of  his 
advanced  age  and  infirmities,  and  to  enable  him  to  give  a 
proper  education  to  his  children. 

About  two  years  after  the  rev.  Mr.  Mickle  came  to  re- 
side in  Edinburgh,  upon  the  death  of  a  brother-in-law,  a 
'brewer  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  city,  be  embarked  a 
great  part  of  his  fortune  in  the  purchase  of  the  brewery, 
and  continued  the  business  in  the  name  of  his  eldest  soi\. 
Our  poet  was  then  taken  from  school,  employed  as  a  clerk 
under  his  father,  and  upon  coming  of  age  in  1755,  took 
upon  him  the  whole  charge  and  pr6perty  of  the  business, 
«on  condition  of  granting  his  father  a  share  of  the  profits 
during  bis  life,  and  paying  a  certain  sum  to  his  brothers 
and  sisters  at  stated  periods,   after  bis  father's  decease, 


M  I  C  K  L  E.  |i? 

which  happened  in  1758.  Young  Mickle  is  said  to  have 
entered  into  these  engagements  more  from  a  sense  of  filial 
duty,  and  the  peculiar  situation  of  his  family,  than  froo) 
any  inclination  to  business.  He  had  already  contracted 
the  habits  of  literary  life  ;  he  had  begun  to  feel  the  enthu- 
siasm of  a  son  of  the  Muses,  and  while  he  was  storing  his 
mind  with  the  productions  of  former  poets,  and  cultivating 
those  branches  of  elegant  literature  not  usually  taught  at 
schools  at  that  time,  he  felt  the  employment  too  delight* 
ful  to  admit  of  much  interruption  from  the  concerns  of 
trade.  In  1761,  he  contributed,  but  without  his  name, 
two  charming  compositions,,  entitled  "  Knowledge,  an 
Ode,"  and  a  "  Night  Piece,"  to  a  collection  of  poetry  pub- 
lished by  Donaldson,  a  bookseller  of  Edinburgh  ;  and  about 
the  same  time  published  some  observations  on  that  impious 
tract  <(  The  History  of  the  Man  after  God's  own  heart,"  but 
whether  separately,  or  in  any  literary  journal,  is  not  now 
known.  He  had  also  finished  a  dramatic  poem  of  consider- 
able length,  entitled  "  The  Death  of  Socrates,"  and  ha4 
begun  a  poem  on  "  Providence,"  when  his  studies  were  in- 
terrupted by  the  importunities  of  his  creditors. 

This  confusion  in  bis  affairs  was  partly  occasioned  by  bis 
intrusting  that  to  servants  which  it  was  in  their  power  to 
abuse  without  his  knowledge,  and  partly  by  imprudently 
becoming  a  joint  security  for  a  considerable  sum  with  a 
printer  in  Edinburgh,  to  whom  one  of  his  brothers  was' 
then  apprentice,  which,  on  his  failure,  iCf  ickle  was  unable 
to  pay.  In  this  dilemma,  had  he  at  once  compounded  with 
his  creditors,  and  disposed  of  the  business;,  as  he  was  ad- 
vised, he  might  have  averted  a  series  of  anxieties  that 
preyed  on  his  mind  for  many  yean ;  and  he  perhaps  might 
have  filtered  into  another  concern  more  congenial  to  his 
disposition,  with  all  the  advantage  of  dear-bought  expe-* 
rience.  But  some  friends  interposed  at  this  crisis,  and 
prevailed  on  his  creditors  to  accept  notes  of  hand  in  lieu  of 
present  payment,  a  measure  which,  however  common,  is  in 
geperal  futile,  and  seldom  fails  to  increase  the  embarrass- 
ment which  it  is  kindly  intended  to  alleviate.  Accordingly 
within  a  few  months,  Mickle  was  again  insolvent,  and  al- 
most distracted  with  a  nearer  view  of  impending  ruin  ready 
M>  fall,  not  only  on  himself,  but  on  bis  whole  family.  PerT 
haps  an  unreserved  acknowledgment  of  iasolvency  mighj 
not  yet  have  been  too  late  to  shorten  his  sufferings,  ha4 
apt  the  same  friends  again  interfered,  and  again  persuaded 


420  MICKLE. 

*  *  T  * 

his  creditor*  to  allow  him  more  time  to  satisfy  their  de- 
mands. This  interference,  as  it  appeared  to  be  the  Ipst 
that  was  possible,  in  some  degree  roused  him  to  a  more 
close  application  to  business;. but  as  business  was  ever  se- 
condary in  his  thdugbts,  he  was  induced  at  the  same  time 
to  place  considerable  reliance  on  his  poetical  talents  which, 
as  far  as  known,' had  been  encouraged  by  some  critics  of 
acknowledged  taste  in  his  own  country.  He  therefore  be- 
gan to  retouch  and  complete  his  poem  on  "  Providence,1* 
from  which  he  conceived  great  expectations,  and  at  length 
had  it  published  in  London  by  Becket,  in  August  1762, 
under  the  title  of  "  Providence,  or  Arandus  and  Emil£e." 
The  character  given  of  it  in  the  Critical  Review  was  highly 
flattering ;  but  the  opinion  of  the  Monthly,  which  was  then 
esteemed  more  decisive,  being  less  satisfactory,  he 'deter* 
mined  to  appeal  to  lord  Lyttelton:  Accordingly,  he  *ent 
to  this  nobleman  a  letter  dated  January  21,  1763,  under 
the  assumed  name  of  William  More,  begging  his  lordship's  " 
opinion  of  his  poem,  "  which,1'  he  tells  him*  "  was  the 
work  of  a.  young  man  friendless  and  unknown,  but  that, 
were  another  edition  to  have  the  honour  of  lord  Lvttelton's 
frame  at  the  head  of  a  dedication,  such  a  pleasure  would 
enable  him  to  put  it  in  a  much  better  dress  than  whit  it 
then  appeared  in."  He  concluded  with  requesting  the  fit- 
trour  of  an  answerto  be  left  at  Seagoe's  Coffee-house,  HoU 
born.  This  letter  he  consigned  to  the  care  of  his  brother 
in  London,  who  was  t6  send  it  io  his  own  hand  and  call  for 
the  answer.  But  before  this  could  arrive,  his  affairs  became 
so  deranged  that,  although  he  experienced  many  instances 
bf  friendship  and  forbearance,  it  was  no  longer  possible  to 
avert  a  bankruptcy ;  and  suspecting  that  one  of  his  creditors 
intended  to  arrest  him  for  an  inconsiderable  debt,  he  was 
reduced  to  the  painful  necessity  of  leaving  his  home,  which 
he  did  in  the  month  of  April,  atid  reached  London  -on  the 
8th  day  of  May.  Here  for  some  time  he  remained  friend* 
less  and  forlorn,  reflecting  with  the  utmost  poignancy  that 
he  had  in  all  probability  involved  his  family  and  friends  in 
irremediable  distress. 

'  Among  other  schemes  which  he  hoped  might  eventually 
succeed  in  relieving  his  embarrassments,  he  appears  to 
have  now  had  some  intentions  of  going  to  Jamaica,  but  in 
what  capacity,  or  with  what  prospects,  he  perhaps  did  not 
himself  know.  There  was,  however,  no  immediate  plan  so 
tea*ily  practicable,  by  which  he  could  expect  at  some  dis- 


MIGKLE.  i2t 

%int  period  W  satisfy  bis  creditors,  and  the  consciousness 
of  this  most  painful  of  all  obligations  was  felt  by  him  in  a 
•manner  which  can  bfe  conceived  only  by  minds  of  the  nicest 
honour  and  most  scrupulous  integrity.  While  in  this  per* 
plextty,  he  was  cheered  by  a  letter  from  lord  Lyttelton,  in 
Which  his  lordship  assured  him  that  he  thought  his  geniui 
in  poetry  deserved  to  be  cultivated,  but  Would  not  advise 
the  republication  of  bis  poem  without  considerable  altera- 
tions. He  declined  the  offer  of  a  dedication,  as  a  thing 
likely  to  be  of -no  use  to  the  poet,  "  as  nobody  minded  de- 
dications ;"  but  suggested  that  it  might  be  of  some  use  if 
be  were  to  come  and  read  the  poem  with  his  lordship,  when 
they  might  discourse  together  Upon  what  he  thought  its 
beauties  and  faults.  In  the  mean  time  he  exhorted  Mickle 
to  endeavbbr  to  acquire  greater  harmony  of  versification  ; 
and  to  take  care  that  his  diction  did  hot  loiter  info  prose,  or 
become  hard  by  new  phrases,  or  Words  unauthorized  by 
the  usage  of  good  authors. — In  answer  to  this  condescend- 
ing and  friendly  letter,  Mickle  informed  his  lordship  of  his 
real  name,  and  inclosed  the  elegy  of  u  PbMio"  for  his  lord- 
Ship's  advice*  This  was  followed  by  another  kind  letter 
from  lord  Lyttelton,  in  which  he  gave  his  opinion,  that  the 
correction  of  a  few  lines  would  make  it  as  perfect  as-  any 
thing  of  that  kind  in  our  language,  and  promised  to  point 
out  its  faults  when  he  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  author.. 
An  interview  accordingly  took  place  in  the  month  of  Feb- 
ruary 1764,  when  his  lordship,  after  receiving  him  with 
the  utmost  politeness  and  affability,  begged  him  not  to  be 
discouraged  at  such  difficulties  as  a  young  author  must  na- 
turally expect,  but  to  cultivate  his  very  promising  poetical 
powers;  and,  with  his  usual  condescension,  added,  that 
he  wouid  become  his  schoolmaster.  -Other, interviews  fol- 
lowed-this  very  flattering  introduction,  at  which  Mickle 
read  with  him  the  poem  on  "Providence,"  and  communi- 
cated bis  plan  for  treating  more  fully  a  subject  of  so  much 
intricacy,  intimating  that  be  had  found  it  necessary  to  dis- 
card the  philosophy  of  Pope's  ethics.  But,  as  in  order  to 
render  bis  talents  as  soon  productive  as  possible,  be  had 
.  now  a  wish  to  publish  a  volume  of  poems,  he  sent  to  his. 
noble  friend  that  on  «•  Providence,'1  "  Polho,"  and  an 
"  Elegy  on  Mary  Queen  of  Scots."  This  produced  a  long 
letter  from  his  lordship,  in  which  after  much  praise  of  the 
two  former,  he  declined  criticising  any  part  of  the  elegy 
*q  Mary,  because  he  wholly  disapproved  of  the  subject* 


422  M  I  C  K  L  E. 

m  *  » 

He  added,  with  justice,  that  poetry  should  not  consecrate 
what  history  must  condemn  ;  and  in  the  view  his  lordship 
had  taken  of  the  history  of  Mary,  he  thought  her  entitled 
to  pity,  but  not  to  praise*  In  this  opinion  Mickle  acqui- 
esced, from  convenience,  if  not  from  conviction,  and  again 
pent  his  lordship  a  copy  of  "  Providence,9'  with  further 
improvements,  hoping  probably  that  they  might  be  the 
last;  but  he  had  the  mortification  to  receive  it  back  from 
the  noble  critic  so  much  marked  and  blotted,  that  he  began 
to  despair  of  completing  it  to  his  satisfaction*  He  remitted* 
therefore,  a  new  performance,  the  "  Ode  on  May  Day," 
begging  his  lordship's  opimion  "  if  it  could  be  made  pro- 
per to  appear  this  spring  (176$)  along  with  the  one  already 
approved." 

Whether  any  answer  was  returned  to  this  application, 
we  are  not  told.  It  is  certain  no  volume  of  poems  appeared, 
and  our  author,  begat?,  to  feel  how  difficult  it  would  be  to 
justify  such  tardy  proceedings  to  those  who  expected  that 
he  should  do  something  to  provide,  for  himself.  He  had 
pow  been  nearly  two  years  in  London,  without  any  other 
subsistence  than  what  be  received  from  his  brothers,  or 
procured  by  contributing  to  some  of  the  periodical  publi- 
cations, particularly  the  British  and  St.  James's  Magazines. 
AH  this  was  scanty  and  precarious,  and  bis  hopes  of  greater 
advantages  from  his  poetical  efforts  were  considerably 
damped  by  the  fastidious  opinions  of  the  noble  critic  who 
had  voluntarily  undertaken  to  be  his  tutor.  It  qow  oc- 
curred to  Mickle  to  try  whether  his  lordship  might  not 
serve  him  more  essentially  as  a  patron ;  and  having  still 
some  intention  of  going  to  Jamaica,  he  took  the  liberty  to 
request  his  lordship's  recommendation  to  his  brother  Wil- 
liam Henry  Lyttelton,  esq.  who  was  then  governor  of  that 
island.  This  produced  an  interview,  in  which,  lord  Lyttel- 
ton intimated  that  a  recommendation  to  his  brother  would 
be  of  no  real  use,  as  the  governor's  patronage  was  gene- 
rally bespoke  long  before  vacancies  take  place ;  be  proT 
Raised,  however,  to  recommend  Mickle  to  the  merchants, 
and  to  one  of  them  then  in  London,  whom  he  expected  tq 
see  very  soon.  He  also  hinted  thai:  a  clerkship  at  hpm$ 
would  be  desireable,  as  England  was  the  place  for  Mickle, 
but  repressed  all  hopes  from  this  scheme,  by  adding,  that 
as  he  (lord  Lyttelton)  was  in  opposition,  he  could  ask  up 
favours.  He  then  mentioned  the  East  Indies,,  as  a  plac? 
where  perhaps  he  could  be  of  service j  and  after  much  con- 


MICKLE,  123 

Venation  oh  these  Various  schemes,  concluded  with  a  pro- 
mise, which  probably  appeared  to  his  client  as  a  kind  of 
anti-climax,  that  be  would  aid  the  sale  of  his  "  Odes"  with 
his  good  opinion  when  they  should  be  published. 

This  was  the  last  interview  Mickle  had  with  his  lordship. 
He  afterwards  renewed  the  subject  in  the  way  of  corre- 
spondence, but  received  so  little  encouragement,  that  he 
was  at  length  compelled,  although  much  against  the  fond 
opinion  he  had  formed  of  his  lordship's  zeal  in  his  cause, 
to  give  up  all  thoughts  of  succeeding  by  his  means.  It 
cannot  be  doubted  that  he  felt  this  disappointment  very 
acutely,  but  whether  he  thought,  upon  more  mature  reflec- 
tion, that  he  had  not  sufficient  claims  on  lord  Lyttelton'* 
patronage,  that  his  lordship  could  not  be  expected  to  pro-> 
vide  for  every  one  who  solicited  his  opinion,  or  that  he  was 
really  unable  to  befriend  him  according  to  his  honest  pro* 
fessioos,  it  is  .certain  that  be  betrayed  no  coarse  resent* 
meat,  and  always  spoke  respectfully  of  the  advantages  he 
had  derived  from  iris  critical  opinions*  The  conclusion  of 
their  correspondence,  indeed,  was  in  some  respect  owing 
to  Mickle  himself.  Lord  Ly ttelton  so  far  kept  his  word  as 
to  write  to  his  brother  in  his  favour  at  the  time  when  Mickle 
was  bent  on  going  to  Jamaica,  but  the  latter  had,  in  the 
mean  time,  "  in  order  to  avoid  the  dangers  attending  aa 
uncertainty,"  accepted  the  offer  of  going  as  a  merchant'* 
clerk  to  Carolina,  a  scheme  which,  being  delayed  by  some 
accident,  he  gave  up  for  a  situation  more  agreeable  to  his 
taste,  that  of  corrector  of  the  Clarendon  press  at  Oxford. 

To  whom  he  owed  this  appointment  we  are  not  told* 
As  it  is  a  situation,  however,  of  moderate  emolument,  and 
dependant  on  the  printer  employed,  it  required  no  extraor- 
dinary interference  of  friends.  He  was  already  known  to 
the  Wartons,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  their  mention- 
ing him  to  Jackson,  the  printer,  would  be  sufficient.  He 
removed  to  Oxford  in  1765  ;  and  in  1767,  published  "The 
Concubine,"  in  the  manner  of  Spenser,  which  brought 
him  .into  more  notice  than  any  thing  he  had  yet  written* 
and  was  attributed  to  some  of  the  highest  names  ou  the 
list  of  living  poets,  white  he  concealed  his  being  the  author* 
It  may  here  be  noticed,  that  when  he  published  a  second 
edition  in  1778,  he  changed  the  name  to  "Sir  Marty  n," 
as  "  The  Concubine"  conveyed  a  very  improper  idea  both 
of  the  subject  and  spirit  of  the  poem.  Living  now  in  a 
society  from  which  some  of  the  ablest  defenders  of  Chris* 


12*  HICKLK 

tianity  Have  risen,  he  was  induced  to  take  up  bis  peii  in  its 
defence,  by  attacking  a  "  Translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment" published  by  the  late  Dr.  Harwood.  Mickle's 
pamphlet  was  entitled  "  A  Letter  to  Dr.  Harwood,  where* 
in  some  of  his  evasive  glosses,  false  translations,  and  blun* 
.  dering  criticisms,  in  support  of  the  Arian  heresy,  con* 
tained  in  bis  liberal  translation  of  the  New  Testament,  are 
pointed  out  and  confuted."  Harwood  had  laid  himself  so 
Open  to  ridicule  as  well  as  confutation  by  his  foolish  trans- 
lation, that  perhaps  there  was  no  great  merit  in  exposing 
what  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  read  with  gravity ;  but  our 
author,  while  he  employed  rather  more  severity  than  was 
necessary  on  this  part  of  his  subject,  efigaged  in  the  vindi- 
cation of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  with  the  acuteness  of 
a  man  who  had  carefully  studied  the  controversy,  and  coo-* 
aidered  the  established  opinion  as  a  matter  of  essential 
importance.  This  was  followed  by  another  attempt  to  vin* 
dicate  revealed  religion  from  the  hostility  of  the  deists* 
entitled  "  Voltaire  in  the  Shades,  or  Dialogues  on  the 
Peistical  Controversy.*' 

In  1772,  he  formed  that  collection  of  fugitive  poetry, 
which  was  published  in  four  volumes  by  George  Pearch, 
bookseller,  as  s  continuation  of  Dodsley's  collection,  la 
this  Mickle  inserted  his  "  Hen  gist  and  Mey,"  and .  the 
¥  Elegy  on  Mary  queen  of  Scots."  He  contributed  about 
the  same  time  other  occasional  pieces,  both  in  prose  and 
verse,  to  the  periodical  publications  *,  when  he  couid  spare 
leisure  from  his  engagements  at  the  Clarendon  press,  and 
from  a  more  important  design  which  he  had  long  revolved 
in  bis  mind,  and  had  now  the  resolution,  to  carry  into  exe* 
cation  in  preference  to  every  other  employment.  This 
was  his  justly  celebrated  translation  of  the  "  Lu^ad",  of 
Camoens,  a  poem  which  he  is  said  to  have  read  when  a  boy 
in  Castera's  French  translation,  and  which  at  no  great  disr 
tance  of  time  he  determined  to  familiarize  to  the  English 
leader.  For  this  purpose  be  studied  the  Portuguese  Ian* 
guage,  and  the  history  of  the  poem  and  of  its  author,  and 
without  greatly  over-rating  the  genius  of  Camoens,  dwelt 
on  the  beauties  of  the  "  Lusiad,"  until  be  caught  the  aur 

.   *  A  correspondent  in  the  Gentle-  erer,  was'fully  refuted  in  a  subsequent 

man's    Magazine  (vol.  LXT.  p.  402)  letter  in  p.  504,  written,  probably,  by 

Msefted  that  Mickle  was  employed  by  Mr.  Isaac    Reed,  who  knew.  Mickle 

£vans,  bookseller  in  the  Strand,   to  well,  apd  drew  up  the  first,  account 

fabricate  some  of  the  old  ballads  pub-  published  of  hit  life  id  tk«  European 

fished  by  bim.    This  calumny,  bow-  Magazine,  1789-. 


M  I  C  K  L  E.  t*S 

thor's  spirit,  atid  became  confident  that  he  could  transfuse 
it  into  English  with  equal  honour  to  his  original  and  to 
himself.  But  as  it  was  necessary  that  the  attention  of  the 
English  public  should  be  drawn  to  a  poem  at  this  time  very 
little  known,  he  first  published  proposals  for  bis  traosla* 
tion  to  be  printed  by  subscription,  and  afterwards  sent' a 
small  specimen  of  the  fifth  book  to  be  inserted  in  the  Geo* 
tleman's  Magazine,  which  was  then*  as  now,  the  common 
vehicle  of  literary,  communications.  This  appeared  in- the 
Magazine  for  March  1771,  and  a  few  months  after  he 
printed  at  Oxford  the  first  book  of  the  "  Lusiad."  These 
specimen  were  received  with  indulgence  sufficient  to  en- 
courage him  to  prosecute  hfe  undertaking  with  spirit;  and 
that  he  anight  enjoy  the  advantages  of  leisure'  and  quiet,- 
he  relinquished  bis  situation  at  the  Clarendon  press,  and 
retired  to  an  old  ftismsion  occupied  by  a  Mr.  Tomkins*  • 
farmer  at  Forrest-hill,  abput  five  miles  from  Oxford,  Here 
be  remained  until  the  end  of  1775,  at  which  time  he  was 
enabled  to  complete  his  engagement  with  his  numerous] 
subscriber!,  and  publish  the  work  complete  in  a  quarto 
volume  printed  at  Oxford. 

With  the  approbation  bestowed  on  this  work  by  the  cri-* 
tical  world,  he.  had  every  reason  to  be  satisfied,  and  thef 
profits  he  derived  .from  the  sale  were  far  from  being  incon** 
aiderable  to.  a  man  in  his  circumstances;  yet  the  publica- 
tion was  attended  by  some  unforeseen  circumstances  of  a 
less  pleasing  kind,  for  he  had  again  the  misfortune  to  be 
teazed  by  the.  prospect  of  high  patronage,  which  again 
ended  in  disappointment.  It  had  at  first  been  suggested 
to  him  that  he  might  derive  advantage  from  dedicating  hi* 
Translation  of  thp  Lusiad  to  some  person  of  rank  i«  the. 
East.  India  department,  but  before  he  had  made  a  choice*, 
hk  friend  the  late  commodore  Johnstone,  persuaded  him  to 
inscribe  it  to  the  late  duke  of  Buccleugh.  This  nobleman, 
however,  we  "are  told,  had  been  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Adam  Smith, 
some  of  whose  doctrines  respecting  the  Eastern  trade, 
Mickte  had  controverted ;  and  upon  this  account  the  noble- 
man is  said  to  have  treated  the  dedication  and  the  poemr 
with  neglect  Mickle's  biographers  have  expatiated  on 
this  suhject  at  great  length,  and  with  much  acrimony  ;  but 
as  hi*  igcace  of  Buccleugh  was  universally  esteemed  for  his 
public  and  private  worth,  and » above  all  for  his  liberality, 
we  must  -abstain  from  any  further  notice  of  a  story,  of  which 
probably,  6ue  half  only  can  ever  be  known.    Qtnjs  thiqg  )ft 


128  M  I  C  K  L  E. 

r 

certain,  that  Mickle  did  not  publish  on  the  East  India  trade 
until  1779. 

•  Soon  after  the  publication  of  the  "  Lusiad,"  he  returned 
to  London/  and  was  advised  by  some  who  probably  in  thi# 
instance  consulted  his  fame  less  than  his  immediate  inte- 
fest,  to  write  a  tragedy.  The  story  of  his  tragedy,  which 
was  entitled  "  The  Siege  of  Marseilles,"  was  taken  fronr 
she  French  history  in  the  reign  of  Francis  I.  When  com- 
pleted, his  friends  recommended  it  to  Garrick,  who  allowed 
its  general  merit,  but  complained  of  the  want  of  stage 
effect,  and  recommended  him  to  take  the  advice  of  Dr. 
Warton.  This  able  critic  was  accordingly  called  in,  with 
lis  brother  Thomas,  and  with  Home  the  author  of 
***  Douglas."  In  compliance  with  their  opinion,  Mickle 
made  great  alterations,  and  Thomas  Warton  earnestly  re- 
commended the  tragedy  to  Garrick,  but  irf  vain;  and 
Mickle,  his  biographers  inform  us,  was  so  incensed  at  this, 
that  he  resolved  to  appeal  to  the  judgment  of  the  public* 
ky  printing  it.  •  •  J 

*  His  conduct  on  this  occasion  must  be  ascribed  to  irrita-* 
tion  arising  from  other  disappointments.  The  mere  printing 
would  have  been  a  harmless,  and  might  have  been  a  profita- 
ble experiment,  but  Mickle  threatened  to  go  farther.  Hav-" 
ing  been  told  by  some  officious  person  that  Garrick  had  fol- 
lowed his  refusal  by  sentiments  of  personal  disrespect*  he 
was  so  enraged  as  to  threaten  to  write  a  new  "  Dunciad*" 
of  which  Garrick  should  be  the  hero.  His  more  sensible 
friends  naturally  took  the  alarm  at  a  threat  so  impotent, 
and  persuaded  him  to  lay  aside  his  design.  Yet  he  drew 
up  an  angry  preface,  and  sent  a  copy  fcf  it  to  Mr.  Garrick. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  say  more  of  this  play,  than  that  it  wa& 
afterwards  rejected  by  Mr.  Harris  and  Mr.  Sheridan; 

The  first  edition  of  the  "  Lusiad,"  consisting  of  a  thou- 
sand copies,  had  so  rapid  a  sale,  that  &  second  edition, 
with  improvements,  was  published  in  June  1778.  About 
the  same  time,  as  he  had  yet  no  regular  provision,  some? 
means  were  employed,  but  ineffectually,  to  procure  him  a 
pension  from  the  crqwn,  as  a  man  of  letters.  Dr.  Lowth* 
then  bishop  of  London,  had  more  than  once  intimated,  that' 
he  was  ready  to  admit  him  into  holy  orders,  and  provide? 
for  him *  but  Mickle  refused  the  offer,  lest  his  hitherto  uni- 
form support  of  revealed  religion  should  be  imputed  to* 
interested  motives.  This  offer  was  highly  honourable  to 
feiny  ad  it  must  have  proceeded  from  a  knowledge  of  the* 


I* 


MICKLE.  I2t 

excellence  of  his  character,  and  the  probable  advantages 
which  the  church  must  have  derived  from  the  accession  of 
such  a  member.  Nor  was  his  rejection  of  it  less  honour- 
able, for  he  was  still  poor.  Although  he  had  received 
nearly  a  thousand  pounds  from  the  sale  and  for  the  copy- 
right of  the  "  Lusiad,"  he  appropriated  all  of  that  sum 
which  he  could  spare  from  his  immediate  necessities  to  the 
payment  of  hi3  debts,  and  the  maintenance  of  his  sisters* 
He  now  issued  proposals  for  printing  an  edition  of  his  ori- 
ginal poems,  by  subscription,  in  quarto,  at  one  guinea 
each  copy.  For  this  he  had  the  encouragement  of  many 
friends,  and  probably  the  result  would  have  been  very  ad- 
vantageous, but  the  steady  friendship  of  the  late  commo- 
dore Johnstone  relieved  him  from  any  farther  anxiety  on 
this  account. 

« 

In  1779  *  this  gentleman  being  appointed  commander 
of  the  Romney  man  of  war,  and  commodore  of  a  squadron, 
immediately  nominated  Mickle  to  be  his  secretary,  by 
which,  though  only  a  bon-commissioned  officer,  he  was 
entitled  to  a  considerable  share  of  prize-money.  But 
What  probably  afforded  him  most  delight,  in  the  commence- 
ment of  this  new  life,  was  the  destination  of  the  squadron 
to  the  native  shores  of  his  favourite  Camoens,  which  the 
fame  of  his  translation  had  already  reached.  On  his  land- 
ing at  Lisbon  in  November  1770,  he  was  received  with 
the  utmost  politeness  and  respect  by  prince  don  John  of 
Braganza,  duke  of  Lafoens,  and  was  introduced  td  the 
principal  nobility,  gentry,  and  literati  of  Portugal. 

In  May  1780  the  royal  academy  of  Lisbon  admitted  hrm 
a  member,  and  the  duke  of  Braganza,  who  presided  on  that 
occasion,  presented  him  with  his  portrait  as  a  token  of  his 
particular  regard.  It  is  almost  needless  to  add,  that  the 
admirers  of  Mickle  owe  his  beautiful,  though  neglected 
poem  of  u  AlmedaHiH"  to  this  visit.  He  is  said  also  td 
have  employed  some  of  his  leisure  hours  in  collecting  ma- 
terials for  a  history  of  Portugal,  which  he  did  not  live  to 
prepare  for  the  press. 

On  his  arrival  in  England,  in  November  1780,  he  was 
appointed  joint  agent  for  the  disposal  of  the  valuable  prizes 

-  *  In  this  year  be  published  a  pant-  nions  of  Dr.  Adam  Smith,  to  whose  in* 

phlet  in  quarto,  entitled  "  A  Candid  sinuations  Mickle's  friends  have  sup- 

,  Examination  of  the  Reasons  for  de-  posed  that  he  owed  the  loss  of  the  no- 

priving  the  East  India  Company  of  its  bie  patron  to  whom  he  dedicated  tha 

Charter.".    This  was  written,  in  defence  Lusiad,  although  his  pamphlet  had  apt 

•f  the  Company,  and  against  the  opi-  then  appeared. 


121  MICKLE. 

it 

taken  during  the  Commodore's  cruize ;  and  by  the  profits  of 
this  place,  and  bis  share  of  the  prize-money,  he  was  en* 
abied  to  discbarge  his  debts.  This  had  long  been  the 
ardent  wish  of  his  heart,  the  object  of  all  his  pursuits,  and 
.an  object  which  he  at  length  accomplished  with  the  strict- 
est honour,  and  with  a  satisfaction  to  his  own.  mind  the 
most  pure  and  delightful.  In  1782  our  poet  published 
"  The  Prophecy  of  Queen  Emnia,"  a  ballad,  with  an 
ironical  preface,  containing  an  account  of  its  pretended  au- 
thor and  discovery,  and  bints  for  vindicating  the  authen-r 
ticity  of  the  poems  of  Ossian  and  Rowley.  This  irony, 
however,  lost  part  of  its  effect  by  the  author's  pretending 
.that  a  poem,  which  is  modern  both  in  language  and  versi-r 
fication,  was  the  production  of  a  prior  of  Durham  in  the 
reign  of  William  Rufus,  although  he  endeavours  to  a  ac- 
count for  this  with  some  degree  of  humour,  and  i?  not  un- 
successful in  imitating  the  mode  of  reasoning  adopted  hy 
dean  Milles  and^Mr.  Bryant,,  in  the  case  of  Chatterton. 

In  the  same  year  be  married  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
Robert  Tomkins,  with  whom  be  resided  in  Oxfordshire 
while  employed  in  translating  the  "  Lusiad."  The  fortune 
which  he  obtained  by  his  marriage,  and  what  he  acquired 
under  commodore  Johnstone,  would  have  enabled,  him  to 
pass  the.  remainder  of  his  days  in  efse  and  independences 
and  with  that  view  bei  took  a  house  at  Wheat ly,  near  OxT 
ford ;  but  the  failure  and  death  of  a  banker,  with  whom  h^ 
was  connected  as  agent  for  the  prizes,  and  a  chancery 
suit  in  which  he  engaged  rather  too  precipitately,  in  order 
to  secure  a  part  of  his  wife's  fortune,  involved  him  iti 
Inany  delays  and  much  anxiety  and  expeqee.  He  stili» 
however,  employed  his  pen  on  occasional  subjects,  and 
contributed  essays  entitled  "  The  Fragments  of  Leo,"  arid 
some  other  articles,  to  the  European  Magazine.  His  last 
production  wa*  4i  Eskdale  Braes,"  a  song  in  qommemora* 
tion  of  the  place  of  bis  birth. 

-  He  died  after  a  short  illness  at  Forrest-bill,  on  the  23th> 
of  October,  1788,  and  was  buried  in  the  church-yard  -of 
that  parish.  His  character,  as  drawn  by  Mr.  Isaac  R$ed 
ted  Mr.  John  Ireland,  who  knew  him  well,  may  be  adopted 
with  safety.  "  He  was  in  every  point  of  view  a  man  of  the 
utmost  integrity,  warm  in  his  friendship,  and  indigntfnt 
Only- against- vice,  irreligton,  or.  meanness.  The  cotnpH-L 
men  t  paid  byjord  Lyttelton  to  Thomson,  might  be  applied 
to  him  with  the  strictest  truth ;  not  a  line  ia  to  be  found 


ftu  c  k  l  &  m 

iir  bis  works,  which,  dying,  he  would  wish  to  blot*  During 
jibe  greatest  part  of  his  life,  he  endured  the  pressures  of  * 
parrow  fortune,  without  repining,  never  relaxing  in  bis  in* 
dustry  to  acquire,  by  honest  exertions,  that  independence 
which  at  length  be  enjoyed*  He.  did  not  shine  in  convert 
sation ;  por  would  any  person,  from  his  appearance,  have 
been  able  to  form  a  favourable  judgment  of  his  talents.  In 
every  situation  in  which  fortune  placed  him,  he  displayed 
ap. independent  spirit*  undebased  by  any  meanness.;  and 
when  bis  pecuniary  circumstances  made  him,  on  one  oc- 
casion, feel  a  disappointment  with  some  force,  he  even 
then  seemed  more  ashamed  at  his  want  of  discernment  of 
character,  than  concerned  for  his  loss.  He  seemed  to  en* 
tertairv  with  reluctance  an  opinion,  that  high  birth  could 
be  united  with  a  sordid  mind.  He  had,  however,  the  satis* 
faction  of  reflecting,  that  no  extravagant  panegyric  had 
disgraced  his  pen*.  Contempt  certainly  came  to  his  aid, 
though  not  soon i  he  wished  to  forget  his  credulity,  and 
never. after  conversed  on  the  subject  by  choice.  To  con* 
dude,  his  foibles  wer$  but  few,  and  those  inoffensive  2 
his  virtues  were  mauy  j  and  his  genius  was  very  consider- 
able.. He  lived  without  reproach,  and  his  memory  will 
always  be  cherished  by  those  who  were  acquainted  with 
hia>." 

To  this  Mr,  Ireland  adds,  "  His  manners  were  not  of 
that  obtrusive  kind  by  which  many  men  of  the  second  or 
third  qrder  force  themselves  into  notice.  A  very  close  ob* 
server  might  have  passed  taany  hours  in  Mr.  Mtckle's  com* 
pany,  without  suspecting  that  he  had  ever  written  a  line  of 
poetry.  A  common  physiognomist  would  have  said  that 
fee  had  an  unmasked  face.  Lavater  would  have  said  other* 
wise ;  but  neither  bis  countenance  nor  manners  were  such 
as,  attract  the  multitude.  When  bis  name  was  announced* 
be  has  been  more  than  once  asked  if  the  translator  of 
Camoens  was  any  relation  to  him.  To  this  be  usually 
answered,  with  a  good-natured  smile,  that  tbey  were  of  the 
lame  family.  Simplicity,  unaffected  simplicity*  was  the 
leading  feature  in  his  character.  The  philosophy  of  Vol* 
tajreatid  David  Hume  was  his  detestation.  He  could  not 
War  their  names  with  temper.  For  the  Bible  he  had  the 
highest  reverence*  and  never  sat  silent  when  the  doctrines 
or  precepts  of  the  Gospel  were  either  ridiculf  dor  spoke** 
of  with  contempt." 

Vol.  XXII.  K 


M4  WICKLK 

f  ft  1^94,  an  edition  of  bis  poems  was  published  by  sufi** 
ftcription,  with  an  account  of  his  life  by  Mr,  Ireland.  A 
more  full  and  correct  collection  of  his  poems  appeared  in 
1807,  with  a  life  by  the  rev.  John  Sim,  who  was  his  inti-t 
mate  friend  when  at  Oxford,  and  has  done  ample  justice 
to  his  memory ;  and  his  principal  poems  were  added  to  the 
late  continuation  of  Johnson's  collection. 

Although  there  is  «o  species  of  poetry  of  which  he  had 
Hot  afforded  favourable  specimens,  and  many  striking  images 
and  animated  descriptions  are  discoverable  in  bis  original 
pieces,  and  while  we  allow  that  his  imagination  is  con-* 
siderably  fertile,  his  language  copious,  and  his  versifica-* 
lion  rich  and  various/  yet  it  cannot  be  denied  that  there 
ire  too  many  marks  of  imitation  in  all  his  lesser  poems, 
and  that  his  fame  must  rest  principally,  where  \t  is  more 
than  probable  he  intended  it  should,  on  his  transtatr&i 
of  the  Lusiad.  This  work,  which  is  now  rising  in  re- 
pute won,  is  inferior  only  to  Pope's  Iliad,  according  to 
the  general  opinion,  which  perhaps  may  be  contro- 
verted. Pope  has  given  an  English  poem  of  un question^ 
able  beauty,  but,  we  may  say  with  Bentley,  it  i»  not  Homer; 
Mickle  has  not  only  transfused  the  spirit,  but  has  raised 
the  character  of  his  original.  By. preserving  *he  energy  j 
elegance,  and  fire  of  Camoens,  he  has  given  an  "  English 
Lusiad,'*  a-  work  which,  although  confessedly  borrowed 
from  the  Portuguese,  has  all  the  appearance  of  having 
been  invented  In  the  language  in-  which  we  find  it.  In 
executing  this,  indeed,  it  must  be  confessed  that  Mickle 
lias  taken  more  liberties  with  his  original  thap  the  laws  of 
translation  will  allow;  but  they  are  of  a  kind  not  usually 
taken  by  translators,  for  he  has  often  introduced  beautred 
*f  bis  own  equal  to  any  that  come'from  the  pen  of  Ca± 
moens*  In  acknowledging  that  he  has  taken  such  free- 
doms, however,  he  has-  not  specified  the  individual  pas-* 
sages ;  a  neglect  for  which*  some  have  praised  his  humility, 
and  others  have  blamed  bis  injuftieg.  But  with  this  excep- 
tion, he  has  successfully  executed  what  he  purposed,  b6* 
only  to  ibake  Oamdens  be  understood  arid  relished,  but 
*  to  give  a  poem  that  iAight  live  in  the  English  language/* 
Nor  ought  it  to  be  omitted  in- this  general  character  of  tM 
Lusiad,  that  in  his  preliminary  dissertations,  he  has  distil- 
gaishgd  bim&etf  as*  a  schoferj  acrkfc,  and  a  historian* "*      * 

» 

Wohnion  and  ChaJoiers'sPoeti,  1810*    .     .    _ 


*.  > 


1 


•*f  i  C'ft  E  L  I  iJ  &  ,WI 

•  IfHCRELIUS  (JdH»),  prbfessor  of  dirihity  "at  Sfetift,- 
ttid  a  very  learned  man,  vtes  born  at  Cuslin  in  Pomcfrfemtai 
in  1597.     He  began  his  studied  ih  the  college  of  bis  owrl 
country;  frncfj  id  1614,  removed  to  Stetiri,  where  he  studied 
theology  tinder  professor  Cramfer.      In   1616,    he   main-* 
tlined  a  disrate  **  dte  Deo  brio  &  trihb^'  which  gained  hidi 
gtefct  reputatibri  ;  arid  tveHt  thfc  yfcat  after  to  the  university 
ef  Kdningsbergj  where  he  disputed  again   "de  veritatg 
tratasceridemali."     He  teceivefd^  in   1621,  the  degree  of 
Mster  of  philosophy  kfe  thfe  university  of  Grripswald,  ^ftetf 
having  maintained  a  thesis  u  de  meteoris ;"    and,  somd 
time  after,  went  to  Leipsic  to  finish  his  studies.     He  wai 
Made  professor  of  rhetoric  ih  the  toyal  college  at  Stetin  iii 
1624,  recto**  of  the  senate  School  in  1627,  rind  rector  o£ 
the  royal  college,  and  pfofessdi'  of  theology,  in  1649.    Th<$ 
fctobe  yetar  he  received  His  doctor  6f  divlhity's»degree,%  itl 
the  university  df  Gripswald,  and  which  he  wasj  we  ard 
t6ld,  led  to  ask;  becfcusfc,  in  a  dispute  he  had  with  Jdhi* 
fcetfgitis,  firist  preachfer  at  the  court  of  the  elector  6f  Brafr- 
dfettbtirg,  tipon  the  differences  betvireeri  the  Lutherans  and 
Calvinists,  the  latter  arrogantly  boasted  of  his  being  art 
old  doctor  id  divinity ;  to  which  Micfelius  cbtild  only  an- 
swer, "  that  he  had  received  the  degree  of  master  in  phi-* 
Ibsophy  before  Bergiua."     He  had  obtained  by  his  solicita- 
tions in  1642,  when  he  wis  made  professor  df  rhetbric,  that 
there  might  be  al&o  professors  of  law,  physic,  and  mathe- 
matics, in  the  royal  college ;  and  that  a  certain  number  of 
students  might  be  maintained  thefe  at  the  public  charge. 
He  made  i£  jotirrtey  to  Swedferi  ih  1653,  and  had  the  horiour 
to  pay  his  respedts  to  qiieen  Christina,  who  gave  him  very 
obliging  marks  of  h6r  liberality,  and  who  had  before  defrayed 
fifci  ehargfesbf  hte  do6tor's  degree.     He  died  Dec.  3,  165$* 
Thii  ptofe&tit  'wrote?  several  learned  works,  which  werd 
1*&i  rfccteived,  krid  went  through  several  editions :  amon^ 
#Bi6fc  #ere,   1.  "  Ethriopbronius  contra  Gentiles  de  prihci-i 
$Hs  MigiotiU  Christian^ ;"  to  which  he  afterwards  added  & 
Wtofitiufctiori,  u  Contra  Jddaicas  depravationes."    2. c*  Lexi- 
fetftf  ^Moso^hiciuttt."  3.  *'  Syntagma  historiarum  ecclesiae.'* 
4.  «  gyntdgtti*  hittdfotttim  politicarum,  &c.  &c.r'r 

Mim)tfirrON  (CtWYEife),  a  celebrated  English  divine; 
*fti  tHte  -km  6f  William  MidcNeton,  rector  of  Hindenvell 
ptoitWhitftj  ^'Yorkshire,  and  born  at  Yotk  Dec.  27,  or; 
teHW.  C6le'  iays,  Aug,  2,  1633.    His  fathef,  #ho  possessed 

*  Gefc.  Diftt^MWtH.-^ S£xii  Oriomstslidonv     • 

K   2 


13$  M'.I.D  D  LE  TON, 

an  easy  fortune,  gave  him  a  liberal  education;  and; at 
seventeen  he  was  admitted  a  pensioner  of  Trinity  college* 
Cambridge,  and  two  years  after  was  chosen  a  scholar  upon 
the  foundation.  After  taking  bis  degree  of  A.  B.  in  1702, 
he  took  orders,  and  officiated  as  curate  of  Trumpington, 
near  Cambridge.  In  1706  be  was  elected  a  fellow  of  hi* 
college,  and  next  year  commenced  master  of  arts.  Two 
years  after  be  joined  with  other  fellows  of  his  college  in  a 
petition  to  Dr.  John  More,  then  bishop  of  Ely,  as  their  vi- 
sitor, against  Dr.  Bentley  their  master.  But  he  had  no 
sooner  done  this,  than  he  withdrew  himself  from  Bentley's 
jurisdiction,  by  marrying  Mrs.  Drake,  daughter  of  Mr. 
Morris,  of  Oak- Morris  in  Kent,  and  widow  of  counsellor 
Drake  of  Cambridge,  a  lady  of  ample  fortune.  After  bis 
marriage,  he  took  a  small  rectory  in  the  Isle  of  Ely,  which 
was  in  the  gift  of  bis  wife;  but  resigned  it  in  little  more 
than  a  year,  on  account  of  its  unhealthy  situation. 

In  Oct.  1717,  when  George  the  First  visited  the  univer- 
sity of  Cambridge,  Middleton  was  created,  with  several 
others,  a  doctor  of  divinity  by  mandate ;  and  was  the  per- 
son who  gave  the  first  cause  of  that  famous  proceeding 
against  Dr.  Bentley,  which  so  much  occupied  the  atten- 
tion of  the  nation.  Although  we  have  given  an  ample 
account  of  this  in  the  life  of  Bentley,  some  repetition' 
seems  here  necessary  to  explain  the  part  Dr.  Middleton 
was  pleased  to  take  in  the  prosecution  of  that  celebrated 
scholar.  Bentley,  whose  office  it  was  to  perform  the  cere- 
mony called  Creation,  made  a  new  and  extraordinary  de- 
mand of  four  guineas  from  each  of  the  doctors,  on  pretence 
of  a  fee  due  to  him  as  divinity-professor,  over  and  above  a 
broad  piece,  which  had  by  custom  been  allowed  as  a  pre- 
sent on  this  occasion.  After  a  warm  dispute,  many  of  the 
doctors,  and  Middleton  among  the  rest,  consented  to  pay 
the  fee  in  question,  upon  condition  that  the  money  should 
be  restored  if  it  were  not  afterwards  determined  to  be  his 
right.  But  although  the  decision  was  against  Bentley,  he 
kept  the  money,  and  Middleton  commenced  an  action 
against  him  for  the  recovery  of  his  share  of  it.  Bentley 
behaving  with  contumacy,  and  with  contempt  to  the  au^ 
thority  of  the  university,  was  at  first  suspended  from  his 
degrees,  and  then  degraded.  He  then  petitioned  the 
king  for  relief  from  that  sentence  :  which  induced  Middle- 
ton,  by  the  advice  of  friends,  to  publish,  in  the  course  of 
the  year  1719,  the  four  following  pieces :  l.  "  A  full  and 


V 


MID  D  L  E'T  O  N.  133 

-  f  ...  r  r  •  -^ 

hbpartial  Account  of  all  the  late  Proceedings  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cambridge,  against  Dr.  Bentley."  2.  "  A  Se- 
cond Part  of  the  full  and  impartial  Account,  &c."  3. 
*'  Some  Remarks  upon  a  Pamphlet,  entitled  The  Case  of 
Dr.  Bentley  farther  stated  and  vindicated,  &c."  »  The  au- 
thor of  the  piece  here  remarked,  was  the  well-known  Dr. 
Sykes,  whom  Dr.  Middleton  treats  here  with  great  con- 
tempt, but  afterwards  changed  his  opinion  of  him,  and  in 
his  "  Vindication  of  the  Free  Enquiry  into  the  Miraculous 
Powers,99  published  after  his  death,  he  appeals  to  Dr. 
Sykes'* s  authority,  and  calls  him  "  a  very  learned  and  ju- 
dicious writer."  The  last  tract  is  entitled,  4.  *c  A  true 
Account  of  the  present  State  of  Trinity -college  in  Cam- 
bridge, under  the  oppressive  Government  of  their  Master 
Richard  Bentley,  late  D.  D."  This,  which  relates  only  to 
the  quarrel  betwixt  him  and  his  college,  is  employed  in 
exposing  his  misdemeanors  in  the  administration  of  college 
affairs,  in  order  to  take  off  a  suspicion  which  many  then 
had,  that  the  proceedings  of  the  university  against  Dr. 
Bentley  did  not  flow  so  much  from  any  real  demerit  in  the 
man,  as  from  a  certain  spirit  of  resentment  and  opposition 
to  the  court,  the  great  promoter  and  manager  of  whose  in- 
terest he  was  thought  to  be  there :  for,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that,  in  that  part  of  his  life,  Dr.  Middleton  was  a 
strotog  tory;  though  like  other  of  his  contemporaries  in 
the  university,  he  afterwards  became  a  very  zealous  whig. 

Middleton's  animosity  to  Bentley  did  not  end  here.  The 
latter  having  in  1720  published  "Proposals  for  a  new 
edition  of  the  Greek  Testarfient,  and  Latin  Version,"  Mid- 
dleton, the  following  year,  published,  5;  "  Remarks,  Pa- 
ragraph by  Paragraph,  upon  the  Proposals,  &c.'*  and  at 
setting  out,  "  only  desires  his  readers  to  believe,  that' they 
were  not  drawn  from  him  by  personal  spleen  or  envy  to 
the  author  of  them,  but  by  a  serious  convictioti,  that  he 
had  neither  talents  nor  materials1  proper  for  the  work  he  had 
undertaken."  Middleton  might  believe  himself  sincere  in 
all  this,  but  no  such  conclusion  can  be  drawn  from  the 
pamphlet,  which  carries  every  proof  of  malignant  arrogance* 
The  very  motto  which  he  borrowed  from  one  of  Burman's 
orations,  "Doctus  criticus(&  adsuetus  urere,  secare,  in- 
clementer  omnis  generis  libros  tractare,  apices,  syllabas," 
&c.  implies  the  utmost  personal  animosity,  and  could  have 
been  thought  "  happily  chosen,"  only  at  a  time  when 
Bentley's  temper  was   better  known   than  his   learning. 


434  ^I  D  D  L  ET  O  If; 

Berkley  defended  his  "Proposals"  aga^qst  4h£s$  «  R*~ 
^narks,"  which,  however,  be  did  not  ascribe  to  Middletqn, 
but  to  Dr.  Colbatch;  a  learned  fellow  of  t)is  college,  ao4 
casuistical  professor  of  divinity  in  the  upiversity.  It  ba» 
been  said  that  he  very  w^li  ^w  the  true  author,  but  wa* 
reso\yed  to  dissemble  it,  for  tjje  double  pleasure  it  would 
give,  him,  of  abusing  Colbatct^,  and  shewing  l^s  cpntemp* 
of  Middle  tort.  His  treatment  of  Colbatcb,  however,  being 
fs  unjustijEiable  a,s  tjjat  whjch  he  ha.d  received  frojn  Dr„ 
JVliddlptpu,  provoked  the  vice-cbaoceljor  an,d  ^eads  of  thq 
university,  at  a  meeting  irj  Feb.  17?lr.  to  pronounce  hi* 
boofc  a  most  scandalous  aqd  malicious  libel',  and  they  r$-> 
solved  to  inflict  a  pro,per  censure  upon  the  author,  as  spori' 
as  he  should  be  discovered:  for  n,o  names  had  yet  a^p^ 
peared  in  the  controversy.  <  ^JidaMeton  ^hen  published, 
with  his  name,  an  answer  tq  Bieptley's  P-efence,  entitled, 

6.  "  Spm,e  farther  Jterparks^  Paragraph  by  Pajagnaphj  upon 
proposals  lately  published  for  a  pew  edition,  of  %  Greek,  an4 
Latin  Testament,  by  Rich^rc|  B^n^ley,"  1721.  His  motto 
was  again  chosen  in  the  same  contemptuous  spirit,  "  Oc* 
cupatus  ille  eruditione  secularium  literarum,  scripturas  pia- 
nino $ancta§  ignoraverit,"  &e.  EUeron.  These  two  piepei 
against  Bentley  were  thought  tp  be  written  with  gr^%| 
gcutenpss  and  learning;  but  if,  as  averted,  they  prevented 
the  intended  publication,  whoever  can  appreciate  EfeiMH 
ley's  talents  v^ill  agree  that  acuteness,  and  learning  w$rf| 
never  worse  employed. 

.  Uppn  tl^e  great  enlargement  of  th$  public  library  af 
Cambridge,  by  the  addition  of  bishop  Mop  re's  hooka, 
which  tyad  been  purchased  by  the  king  a^t  6,000/.  and  pre- 
sented to  the  university,  the  erection  of  a  new  office  there, 
that  of  principal  librarian,  was  first  voted,  and  then  coa~> 
ferred  ypoji  Dr.  Middletpn :  who,  to  sh^w  himself  worikjy 
of  it,  published,  in  1723,  a  little  piece   with   this,   title, 

7.  "  Uibliotheca3  Qantabrigiensis  ordinandi  met  bop1  us  quqg-i 
dam,  quam,  domino  procancellarip  senatuique  academicq 
copsfde^tnda.m  &  perftcieqdam*  oflScii  &  pietatis  ?rgo  pro- 
p.onit."  The  plan  is  allowed  to  be  judicious,  and  thq 
whole  performance  expressed  in  elegant  ^atin.  In  bis  de- 
dication, however,  to  the  vice-chancellor,  in  which  he 
alluded  to  the  contest  between  the  university  and  Dr. 
Bentley,  he  made  use  of  some  incautious  words,  against  th^ 
jurisdiction  of  the  court  of  King's-beucb,  for  which  he  waft 
prosecuted,  but  dismissed  with  an  easy  fitie< 


n  I  D  I>  L  E  T  O  K;  i|j 

*  Soon  afeer '  ibis  publication,  having  had  Che  mrsforttuifc 
to  Jose  his  wife,  Dr.  Middleton,  not  then  himself  in  a  good 
state  of  health,  owing  to  some  experiments  he  bad  been 
tuakiag  to ,  prevent  tus  growing  fat,  travelled  .through 
France  into  Italy,  along  with  lord  Coleraine,  an  able  an- 
tiquary, and  arrived  at  Rome  early  in  1724.  Hers,  though 
his  character  and  profession  were  welt  known,  be  was 
treated  with  particular  respect  by  persons  of  the  firet  di$« 
tinction  both  in  church  and  state*  The  author  of  the  ac* 
count  of  his  life  in  the  "  Biographia  Britannic*,'"  relates* 
that  when  Mkldleton  first  arrived  at  Rome,  he  met  with  an 
accident,  which  provoked  him. not  a  liule.  '*  Ur.  JMiddle-* 
ton,"  says  be,  "  made  use  of  bis  character  of  principal 
librarian,  to  get  himself  introduced  to  hi*  brother  librarian: 
at  the  Vatican;  who  received  him  with  great  politeness? 
but»  upon  his  Mentioning  Cambridge,  sfrid  he  did  not  know* 
before  that  there  was  any  university  in  England  of  that  ^ 

name,  and  at  the.  same  time  took  notic.e,  that  he  was  no 
stranger  to  that  of  Oxford,  for  which  be  expressed  a,  great  v 

esteem..  This  touched  the  honour  of  qvt  new  litaarrari, 
who  took  some  pains  to  conviaee  his  brother  not  Only  of 
the  jresd  existence,  but  of  the  real  dignity  of  his  uai-yersity 
of  Cambridge*  At  last  the  keeper  of  tbe  Vatican  ackoov* 
ledged,  that,  upon  recollection,  be  bad  indeed  heard  of  a 
celebrated  school  in  England  of  that  qame,  which  was  a 
kind  of  nursery,  where  youth  were  educated  and  prepared 
for.  their  admission  at  Oxford ;  and  Dr,  Middleton  left  him 
at  present  m  tha*  sentiment.  Bat  this,  unexpected  indigo 
ttity  put  him  upon  his  nettle,  and  made  him  .resolve  to 
support  his  residence  at  Rome  in  such  a  manner,  as  should 
be  a,  credit,  U>  his  station  at  Cambridge  ;  and  accordingly 
he  agreed  to  give  4&Q&  per  annuo*  for  a  hotel,  with  ail  ac- 
commodatipna,  fit  for  tbe  reception  of,  those  of  the  first 
rank  ra  Rome:  whichv  joined  to  his  great  fogdnes*  jfot 
antiques,,  occasioned  him  to  trespass  a. little  upon  his  for-* 
tune.9'  Part  of  this  stony  seems  not,  very  probable. . . 
,  He  returned .  through  Paris  towards  the  e**d  of  1125, 
andaimsved  at  Cambridge  before  Christmas,.  .  He  had  no) 
been  long  employed  in  bis,  study,  before  be.  incurred  the 
displeasure  of  the  whole  medical  faculty,  by  the  publina^ 
tion  of  a  tract,  entitled,  tt.  "  I)e  mediqorum  apud.  veteret 
Komanos  degentium  conditione  disaertatio ;  ,  qua,  contea 
viros  celeberrimos  Jacobum  Sponium  &  Richardum  Mea- 
dium,  servilem  atque  ignobilem.  earn  Suisse  Qs&euditur*?*; 


is*  Middle  ton: 


>  i 


Cant.  1726.  Mead  had  just  before  published  an  Httrvefen 
Oration,  in  which  he  had  defended  the  dignity  of  his  pro- 
fession :  so  that  this  seeming  attempt  of  Middleton  to  de- 
grade it,  was  considered  by  the  faculty  as  an  open  attack 
upon  their  order.  Much  resentment  was  shewn,  and  some 
pamphlets  were  published  :  one  particularly  with  the  title 
of  "  Responsio,"  of  which  the  late  professor  Ward  of 
Gresbam-college  was  the  author.  Ward  was  supposed  to 
be  chosen  by  Mead  himself  for  this  task  :  for  his  book  was 
published  under  Mead's  inspection,  and  at  bis  expence. 
Middleton  defended  his  dissertation  in  a  new  publication 
entitled,  9.  "  Dissertationis,  &c.  contra  anonymos  quos~ 
dam  notarum  brevium,  responsionis,  atque  animadversionis* 
auctores,  defensio,  Pars  prima,  1727."  The  purpose  of 
this  tract  seems  to  have  been,  not  to  pursue  the  controversy, 
for  he  enters  little  into  it,  but  to  extricate  himself  from*  it 
with  as  good  a  grace  as  he-  could  :  for  nothing  more  waa 
published  about  it,  and  the  two  doctors,  Mead  and  Mid- 
dleton,  without  troubling  themselves  to  decide  the  ques** 
tion,  became  afterwards  very  good  friends.  A  "  Pars  se~ 
cunda,"  however,  was  actually  written,  and  printed  for 
private  circulation,  after  his  death,  by  Dr.  Heberden,  in 
1761,  4to.  In  1729  Middleton  published,  10.  "A  Letter 
from  Rome,  shewing  an  exact  Conformity  between  Popery 
and  Paganism :  or,  the  Religion  of  the  present.  Romans 
derived  from  that  of  their  Heathen  Ancestors."  This 
letter,  though  written  with  great  politeness,  good  sense, 
and  learning,  yet  drew  upon  the  author  the  displeasure  of 
some  even  of  our  own  church  ;  because  he  attacked ,  in  it 
the  Popish  miracles  with  that  general  spirit. of  incredulity 
and  levity,  which  seemed,  in  their  opinion,  to  condemn 
all  miracles.  In  his  second  edition  he  endeavoured  to  ob- 
viate this  objection,  by  an  express  declaration  in  favour  of 
the  Jewish  and  Christian  miracles,  to  which  perhaps  more 
Credit  was  given  now  than  afterwards.  A  fourth  edition 
came  out  in  1741,  8vo,  to  which  were  added,  1.  "  A  pre* 
fatory  Discourse,  containing  an  Answer  to  the  Writer  of  a 
Popish  book,  entitled,  The  Catholic  Christian  instructed, 
&c.  with  many  new  facts  and  testimonies,  in  farther  con- 
firmation of  the  general  Argument  of  the  Letter:"  and, 
&  "  A  Postscript,  in  which  Mr.  Warburton's  opinion  con- 
cerning the  Paganism  of  Rome  is  particularly  considered." 
Hitherto  certainly  the  opinion  of  the  world  was  gene- 
rally in  his  favour,  and  many  thought  that  he  had  done 


MlDDtETON.  *37 

great  service  to  Protestantism,  by  exposing  the  absurdities 
and  impostures  of  Popery.  He  bad  also  several  personal 
qualities,  which  recommended  him ;  he  was  an  excellent 
scholar,  an  elegant  writer,  a  very  polite  man,  and  a  gene* 
sal  favourite  with  the  public,  as  well  as  with  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  lived ;  but  an  affair  now  happened,  which' 
ruined  all  his- hopes,  proved  fatal  to  his  views  of  prefer- 
ment, and  disgraced  him  with  his  countrymen  as  long  as' 
he  lived. 

About  the  beginning  of  1730,  was  published  Tiridal'i 
famous  book  called  "  Christianity  as  old  as  the  Creation  :** 
the  design  of  whidh  was  to  destroy  revelation,  and  to  esta- 
blish natural  religion  in  its  stead.  Many  writers  entered 
into  controversy  against  it,  and,  anlong  the  rest,  the  well- 
known  Waterland,  who  published  a  "  Vindication  of  Scrip- 
ture," &c.  Middleton,  not  liking  his  manner  of  vindicating 
Scripture,  addressed,  11.  "A  letter  to  him,  containing 
tome  remarks  on  it,  together  with  the  sketch,  or  plan,  of 
another  answer  to  Tindal's  book,"  1731.  Two  things,  we- 
are  told,  contributed  to  make  this  performance  obnoxious 
to  the  clergy;  first,  the  popular  character  of  Waterland, 
who  was  then  at  the  head  of  the  champions  for  orthodoxy, 
yet  whom  Middleton,  instead  of  reverencing,  had  ventured 
to  treat  with  the  utmost  contempt  and  severity ;  secondly, 
the  very  free  things  that  himself  had  asserted,  and  espe- 
cially his  manner  of  saying  them.  His  name  was  not  put 
to  the  tract,  nor  was  it  known  for  some  time  who  was 
the  author  of  it  While  Waterland  continued  to  pub- 
lish more  parts  of  ''Scripture  vindicated,"  &c.  Pearce, 
bishop  of  Rochester,  took  up  the  contest  in  his  behalf;1 
which  drew  from  Middleton*  12.  "A  Defence  of  the  Let* 
ter  to  Dr.  Waterland  against  the  false  and  frivolous  Cavils 
of  the  Author  of  the  Reply,"  1731.  Pearce  replied  to 
this  ?'  Defence,"  and  treated  him,,  as  he  had  done  before, 
as  an  infidel,  or  enemy  to  Christianity  in  disguise ;  who, 
under  the  pretext  of  defence,  meant  nothing  less  than 
subversion.  Middleton  was  now  known  to  be  the  author 
of  the  letter ;  and  he  was  very  near  being  stripped  of  bis 
degrees,  and  of  all  his  connections  *  with  the  university. - 
But  this  was  deferred,  upon  a  promise  that  he  would  make 
all  reasonable  satisfaction,  and  explain  himself  in  such  a 
manner,  as,  if  possible,  to  remove  every  objection.  This 
he  attempted  to  do  in,  13.  "  Some  Remarks  On  Dr. 
Bearce's  second  Reply,  &c.  wherein  the  author's  setiti- 


**»  M;i  p  D  L  E  T  O  N; 

l&ents,  as  to  all  the  principal  points  in  dispute;  are  folly 
tad  dearly  explained  in  the  manner  that  bad  been  pro-; 
g^ised,"  1732:  and  be  at  least  effected  so  mueh,  by  this* 
piece,  that  he  was  suffered  to  be  quiet,  and  to,  remain  ut 
statu  quo;  though  hie  character  as  a  divine  ever  after  lay 
Wider  suspicion,  and  he  was  reproached  by  florae/  of  the 
more  zealous  clergy,  by  Venn  in  particular,  with  down-* 
pgbt  apo^taxy.  There  was  also  published,  in  17:3$,  && 
anonymous  pamphlet,  entitled,  "  Observations  addressed 
\o  the  author  of  the  Letter  tq  Dr.  Waterland  ;"  which  was 
written  by  Or.  Williams,  public  orator  of  the  ^university  ; 
and  to  which  Middleton  replied  in,  14.  "  Soitoe  reraoeks," 
ftc*  The  purpose  of  Williams  was  to  prove  Middletoa  an 
infidel  i  .that  bis  letter  ought  to  be  burnt,  and  himself 
bani&bed :  and  he  then-  presses  him  to  confess  and  recant 
in  form.  «.But,"  say*  Middletpn,  «I  have  nothing  to 
secant  on  the  occasion ;  nothing  t9  confess,  bat  the  seme 
fi^ur  ax  ticks,  that  I  h^ve  already  confessed  :  first,  that  tha 
Jews  borrowed  sojpe  of  their  customs  from  Egypt;  se* 
Vwdiy,  that  the  Egyptians  were  pffssested  of  arts  and  leant* 
ipg  io  Moses's  titmi  thirdly*  that  the  primitive  writers* 
ij*  vindicating  Scripture,  fetted  it  necessary  sometines  to 
ijecur  to  allegory  ;  fourthly,  that  the  Scriptures  are  not  of 
absolute  and  universal  inspiration.  These  ane  the  only 
crimes  that  I  have  been  guilty  of  against  religion  :  and  byt 
seducing  the  controversy  to  these  foot  heads,  end  declare 
ijig  n»y  whole  me*ai»g  to  be  comprised  in  them,  I  did  iai 
xqaiity  .recent  every  thing  else,  that  through  heat  or  inad- 
vertency bad  dropped  from  Hie;  every  thing  thai  could  be> 
construed  to  a  sense  hurtful  to  Christianity."  ; 

.  Duping  this  controversy,  he  was  appointed,  in  Dec  1731,- 
Wwdwaffdiao  professor ;  a  foundation  to  which  he  bad  in* 
s/Hnje  degree  contributed,  and  was,  therefore,,  appointed;  bjr 
Woodwacd's  exeoutors  to  be  the  first  professor*  En*  July  t 
1732,  he  published  his  inauguration  speedy  wish,  thia  tide,. 
15.  "  Oratio  de  novo  physiologist  explicandce-  mitnere,  ex. 
celeberrimi  Woodward*  testaoieete  ieatituto ;  habita  Can- 
t^brigiae,  in  scholis  publicist'  It  is  easy  to  .suppose,  that> 
the  readiitg  of  lectures  upon  fossils  was  not  an  employment; 
suited  either  to  Middlemen's  taste,  or  to  the  turn  ofi  his* 
s^ud»Q&-;  tajid  therefore  we  cannot  wonder  that  he  should 
resign  it  in  1734,  when  made  principal  librarian.  Soon 
after  this,  be  married  a  second  time,  Mary,  the  daughter 
of^the  rev,  Conysrs  Place,  of .  Dorchester  \.  and  upon  hen 


M  I  D  D  L  E  T  O  N;  ||, 

t 

4*3tth,  which  happened  but  a  few  years  before  hit  own,  4 
third,  who  was  Anne,  the  daughter  of  John  Powell,  esq* 
pf  Boughroya,  Radnorshire,  in  North  Wales*  In  1735  be 
published,  16.  "  A  pissertation  concerning  the  Origin  of 
Printing  in  England  :  shewing,  that  it  was  first  introduced 
and  practU^d  by  our  countryman  William  Canton,  at  h 
Westminster,  and  not,  as  is  commonly  believed,  by.  a  fo- 
reign printer  at  Oxford ;"  an  hypothesis  that  has*  been 
line?  ably  controverted  i^i  Eowyer  and  Nichols's  «  Origin 
#  Printing,"  * 7 76.  ■  . 

Jrj  1741,  .came  out  his  great  work,  17.  "The  History  of 
the  Life  of  ]ty.  Tulliu*  Cicero,"  in  2  v^ls-  4tP.  This  is  inn 
deed  a  valuable  w^rV,  both  as  tp  matter  and  manner,  writ<* 
ten-  generally,  although  not  unexceptionably,  in  a  correct 
and  elegant  style,  mid  abounds  iq  instruction  .and  enter* 
tainqient.  Yet  his  partiality  to  Cicero  forms  a  cousi<Jera>« 
fcle  objee^ipp  to  his  veracity  a,s  a  biographer.  He  has  la-» 
fepured  every  where  to  cast  a  shade  over  big  feilings,  tot 
give  the  strongest;  colouring  to  his  virtues *,  and  out  of  % 
gQOfl  character  tp  draw  a  perfect  one  ;  which,  though  Cieerot 
was  i^deubtedly  a  great,  man,  could  i*otj  be  applicable  sverft 
tQ  binp.  Peihips,.  however,  **  **  history  of  the  times,  ifci* 
yet  more  valuable  than  considered  only,  as  a  life  of  Cicero* 
It  was  published  by  subscription,  and  dedicated  to  lord  He* •» 
V$y,  vyhp  was  much  the  avuhpr'?  friend,  and  promised  lim 
4.  great  numb?*  <rf  subscribers,  «  Hi*  subscription,"  ha 
tells  ug,  "  was  like  tp  be  of  the  charitable  kind,  and  Tully 
tp  be  the  portion  of  two  young  nieces"  (for  he  bad  na 
ohild  Uving  by  any  of  his  wives)  *'  who  were  then  in  the* 
house  with  him,  left  by  gn  unfortunate  brother,  who  ha£ 
nothing  else*  to  leave*"  The  subscription  must  have  bee* 
very  gteat,  which  uqV  pnly  enabled  him  to  portion  the*c* 
two  nieces,  but,  as  his  biographers  inform  us,  to  purchase 
Ismail*  estate  at  Hildersbaip,  about  six  miles  from  Cm>« 
bridge,  where  he  had  an  opportupity  of  gratifying  bis  tasta^ 
by  cpn vesting  a  rude  farm  into  an  elegant  habitation,  and 
where,  from  that  time,  be  commonly  passed  the  summec 
season. — While  engaged  on  his  "  Cicero,"  he  was  called 
to  London  to  receive  the  mastership  of  the  Charter- house, 
•    •  •  < 

•  Wolfius,  in  his  edition  of  the  four  that  he  is  represented  more  in  a  polU 

controverted  orations  of  Cicero,  Ber-  tical  than  a  literary  character;    and 

tin,  1801,  says  that  Middle  ton'*  Life  thirdly,  Ujai  too  little  critical  attention 

of  Cicero  has  three  great  faults :  first,  is  paid  to  the  historical  facts.     See  a 

that  the  hero  is  frequently  exalted  be-  learned  note  by  Mr,  Go  ugh,  in  ,Ni- 

yond  the  bounds  of  truth  ;  secondly,  chois's  Botryer,  vol*  V.  p.  412 


Hi 


KID  DL'ET'aJT, 


their  appearance  probably  much  earlier/'  To  this  asserv 
rion,  from  a  man  so  devoted  to  study,  it  is  not  easy  to  give 
credit ;  especially  when  it  is  remembered  also  that  Mid«< 
dleton  and  Sherlock  had  been  formerly  in  habits  of  inti-> 
macy  and  friendship ;  were  of  the  same  university,  and 
nearly  of  the  same  standing ;  and  that,  however  severely 
and  maliciously  Middleton  treated  his  antagonist  in  the 
present  Examination,  there  certainly  was  a  time  when  he 
triumphed  in  him  as  "  the  principal  champion  and  Orna- 
ment of  church  and  university."  Different  principles  and 
different  interests  separated  them  afterwards:  but  it  is  not 
easy  to  conceive  that  Middleton,  who  published  his  E*a* 
laai nation  in  1750,  should  never  have  read  these  very  fa-* 
flflous  discourses,  which  were  published  in  1725*.  There 
is  too  great  reason,  therefore,  to  suppose,  that  this  publM 
cation  was  drawn  from  him  by  spleen  and  personal  enmity/ 
Which  he  now  entertained  against  every  writer  who  ap- 
peared in  defence  of  the  belief  and  doctrines  of  the  chlirchi 
'What  other  provocation  he  might  have  is  unknown.  Whe-> 
tber  the  bishop  preferred,  had  not  been  sufficiently  thitid<t 
ful  of  the  doctor  unpreferred,  or  whether  the  bishop  bad 
been  an  abettor  and  encourager  of  those  wbo  opposed  thd 
doctor's  principles,  cannot  be  ascertained  ;  stjfite  think  thai 
both  cause*  concurred  in  creating  aft  enmity  between  the 
doctor  and  tbe  bishop  f.  This  "Examination"  Was-  refuted 
by  Dr.  Rutherforth*  divinity  professor  at  Cambridge  :  but 
Middleton,  having  gratified  his  animosity  against  Sherlofck* 
pursued  the  argument  no  further*  tie  was,  however,  iiie** 
ditatinga  general  answer  to  all  the  objections  made  against 
'ttte  **  Free  Inquiry ;"  when  being  seized  with  ilhiess,  and 
imagining  be  might  not  be  able  to  go  through  it,  he  singled 
out  Church  and  Dodwell,  as  the  two  most  considerable  ot 
Iris  adversaries,  and  ehiplojed  himself  in  preparing  a  par- 
ticular answer  to  them.  This,  however,  he  did  not  live" 
to  fttfish,  but  died  of  a  slow  hectic  fever  and  disorder  in. 
bis  lively  ofr  th£  08th  of  July,  1750,  in  his  sixty-seventh 
year,  at  HUdertbam.     He  was  burkd  in  the  parish  of  St* 


*^ "  Sherlock  told  me  that  he  pre- 
sented' Of.  Af .  with  this  boot  when  first 
pfettKsfed  to  17  25,  and  that  fie  so6ti 
afterwards-  thanked  him  for  it,  and  ex- 
pressed-hhs  pleasure  id  the  perusal." 
M&uotte  by  Whtetdn  tile  tiotfkseller,  in 
Ws  copftf  tire  first  edition  of  this  -Dfc- 
tionare.  The  same  fact  occurs  in  the 
©eUt'Mflrg.  m?,  38^,'  3$7,  But  pro- 


bably  from  the  same  authority. 

f  It  is  saM  b'y'bishop  Newton,  that 
when  Middletoh  applied1  rbf:thcJ  Chatf 
terb^use,  Sir  Rdbert  WaTpqJe.  told  him 
that  Sherlock,  with  the  other  bishops, 
wste  agamst  his*  toe'nbg  chbse^.  "f  his  tfl 
a  Man  who,  ate  Wtfrbiftttm,  his  frienty 
declared,  "  never  coo  Id  bear  cdntraf 
diction/'  was  sufficient  provocation! 


HI  I  I)  D  L  £  TON.  Ht 

if  ithael,  Cambridge.  As  be  died  without  issue,  he  left 
his  widow,  who  died  in  1760*  in  possession  of  an  estate 
which  was  not  inconsiderable  :  yet  we  are  told  that  a  little 
before  his  death,  he  thooght  it  prudent  to  accept  of  a  small 
living  from  sir  John*  Frederick,  bart  *.  A  few  months  after 
was  published,  his  25.  "  Vindication  ef  the  Free  enquiry 
into  the  Miraculous  powers,  &e.  from  the  objections  of 
Dr.  Dodwell  and  Dr.  Church."  The  piece  is  unfinished1,, 
as  we  have  observed,  but  correct,  as  far  as  it  goes,  which 
is  about  fourscore  pages  in  quarto. 

.  In  1752,  were  collected  all  the  above-mentioned  woffes> 
except  "  The  Life  of  Cicero,"  and  printed  in  four  volumes, 
4to,  unddr  the  title  of  "  Miscellaneous  Works ;"  among 
which  were  inserted  these  following  pieces,  never  before 
published,  viz.  26.  **  A  Preface  to  An  intended  Answer  10 
ail  the  objections  made  against  the  Free  enquiry."  *  2T. 
11  Some  cursory  reflections  on  the  dispute,  or  dissgntiony 
Which  happened  at  Antioch,  between  the  Apostles  Peter 
and  Paul."  28.  "  Reflections  on  the  variations,  or  incon*- 
listencies,  which  are  found  among  the  four  Evangelists)  in 
their  different  accounts  of  the  same  facts.'*  '  29.  "  Art 
Essay  on  the  gift  of  Tongues,  'tending  to  explain  the  pros- 
per notion  and  nature  of  it,  as  it  is  described  and  delivered 
to  us  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and  it  appears  also  to  have 
keen  understood  by  the  learned  both  of  ancient  and  modem 
times/*  SO.  **  Some  short  Remarks  on  a  Story  told  by  the 
Ancients  concerning  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  and  Gerin* 
thus  the  Heretic ;  and  on  the  use  which  ie  made  of  it  by 
the  Moderns,  to  enforce  the  duty  of  sburtriiftg  Heretics.** 
*1.  "  An  Essay  on  the  allegorical  and  literal  interpretation 
of  the  creation  and  fall  of  Man.9*  32.  "  De  LatmaruM 
literarum  pronuneiatione  dissertatio."  39.  ?•  Some  Letters 
ef  Dr.  Middleton  to  bis  Friends."  A  -second  edition  of 
these  *'  Miscellaneous  Works"  was  afterwards  published  M 

•  .!•••■■ 

*  The  living  was  Ha9C0tnb,  in  Surrey;  which  I  wholly  dislike,  yet  Wtyile  I  ant 

6neof  Dr.MiddJeton's  biographers,  and  coin  en  t  to  acquiesce  in  the  ill,  I  should 

foe  fnftat  furioas  in  railing  at  the  cleft-  be  glad  to  taste  a  littte  of  the?  good;  kuA 

yl  kigot*  who  apposed .  his  sentiments,  to  hare .  some  amends  for  the:  n$lf  &$ 

has  been  so  blinded  by  the  doctor's  sent  and  consent  which  no  man  of  sense 

virtues,  as  to  inform  us  that  his  sob-  can  approve.7*    tf  Dr,  Midtffetdn  had 

scriptioa   to  the  thirty-nine  articles,  h'm    VtgoUd  opponents,  aht.  pre»M| 


when  he  accepted  of  this,  liviag,  was-  anecdote  may.  aufely.  be^qwotcd  as  a 
purely  political :  and  gives  the  follpw-  proof  that  he  had  very  impartiat  de- 
»£  confirmation  of  the  fact,  from  a     fenders  J— British  Biography,  Bjrtoitt 


M3  tetter  of Br, Middteten's :  "Though  .  ers,  w>Lt&  p»331» 
there  are  many  j  things  in  the  church 


r  j£ 


14*  JH  i  DDL  ETON. 

5  vols:  8vo,  but  for  many  years  there  has  been  little  or  n* 
demand  for  any  of  bis  works,  except  the  "  Life  of  Cicero," 

Dr.  Middleton's .  reputation  as  a  man  of  great  learning 
and  splendid  talents  may. still  be  supported  by  his  writings,, 
but  in  his  personal  character,  little  will  be  found  that  is 
amiable,  dignified,  or  independent.  His-  religion  was 
justly  suspected,  and  it  is  certain  that  his  philosophy  did 
not  teach  him  candour.  He  had  beep  opposed*  without 
jrespect,  by  many  of  the  clergy,  and  in  revenge,  he  at* 
tacked  the  church,  to  which  he  professed  to  belong,  and 
in  which  he  would  have  been  glad  to  rise,  if  be  could. 

With  respect  to  his  talents  as  a  writer,  he  tells  his  pa* 
tron,  lord  Hervey,  in  bis  dedication  of  "The  Life  of  Cicero,*' 
that  "it  was  Cicero  who  instructed  him  to  write;  your 
lordship,"  be  goes  on,  "  who  rewards  me  for  writing  :  for 
next  to  that  little  reputation  with  which  the  public  baa 
been  pleased  to  favour  me,  the  benefit  of  this  subscription 
is  the  chief  fruit  that  I  have  ever  reaped  from  my  studies." 
Of  this  be  often  speaks,  sometimes  in  terms  of  complaint, 
and  sometimes,  as  in  the,  following  passage,  in  a  strain  of 
triumph :  "  I  never  was.  trained/9  says  he,  "  to  pace  in 
the  trammels  of  the  church,  nor  tempted  by  the  sweets  of 
its  preferments,  to  sacrifice  the  philosophic  freedom  of  a 
studious,  to  the  servile  restraints  of  an  ambitious  life :  and 
from  this  very  circumstance,  as  often  as  I  reflect  upon  it,  I 
feel  that  comfort  in  my  pwn  breast,  which  no  external  ho* 
sours  can  bestow.  ,  I  persuade  myself,  that  the  life  and 
faculties  of  man,  at  the  beat  but  short  and  limited,  cannot 
be  employed  more  rationally  or  laudably,  than  in  the? 
search  of  knowledge,  and  especially  of  that  sort  which 
relates  to  our  duty,,  and  conduces  to  our  happiness,  &c," 
This,  however,  was  the  philosophy- of  a  disappointed  man. 
It  is.  true,  indeed,  that  he  felt  the  free  spirit  he  describes, 
which  was  manifest  in  all  his  writings,,  yet  from  many  of 
them  it  is  no  less  clear  that  he  felt  anger  and  disappoint* 
tnent  also,  at  not  being  preferred,  according  to  his  owa 
internal  consciousness  of  merit.  So  inconsistent  are  evea 
the  most  able  men.  He  made  bis  preferment  impossible^ 
and  then  repined  at  not  obtaining  it.  Some  of  his  late  bio- 
graphers have  endeavoured  to  prove  what  a  "  good  Chris- 
tian" he  was ;  he  had  the  same  opinion  of  himself,  but  it 
is  not  easy  to  discover  what,  in  his  view,  entered  into  the 
character  of  a  good  Christian.  That  he  was  an  apostate^ 
as  some  of  his  antagonists  have  asserted,  may  be  doubtful; 


M:I:DDL  E  T  0!N.  145 


<ttperh(ap&:  easily  eofttradicted.     From  all  we  have  seen  of 
his  confidential  correspondence,  he  does  not  appear  to  have 
oyer  had  much  to  apostatize  from.    As  far  back  as  1 733,  he 
saye,  in  one  of  his  letter*  to  lord  Hervey,  "  It  is  my  mis* 
fortune- to  have  bad  so  early  a -taste  of  Pagan  sense,  as  to' 
make  me  very  squeatosh  in  mty  Christian  studies."    fn  the- 
following  year  be  speaks  of  one  of  the  most  common  ob- 
servances o£  religion  m  a  manner  that  cannot  be  misunder- 
stood .-:  "  Suaday  is:  my  only  day  of  rest,  bat  not  of.  liberty ; 
for  lam.  bound  to  a  double  attendance  at  church,  to  Wipe2 
off  thfc  stain  of  infidelity.      When  I  have  recovered  my 
credit,  in  wbieh  I  mike  daily  progress,  I  may  use  more 
freedom,*'     With  such  contempt  for  church  and  church* 
men>  it  can  bet  n*  wonder,  that  Dr.  Middleton  failed  both7 
of  preferment  and  respect1 

MIDDLETON.  (Sir  Hugh),?  a  publk^spirited  man,  and1 
a. great  benefactor  to  the  city  of  London,  by  bringing  iff 
thither  the- New  River,  was  a-native  of  Denbigh  in  North 
Wales*  and  a  citizen  and  goldsmith  of  London;     This  city' 
i¥»t  being,  sufficiently  supplied*  with  water,  three  acts  of 
parliament  were  obtained  for  that  purpose ;  one  in  queen1 
Elisabeth's,    and  two  in   king  James  the  First's  reign  ; 
granting; the  citizens  of  London  full  power  to  bring*  a  river' 
from  any  part  .of  Middlesex  and  Hertfordshire*     The  pro- 
ject, after  much,  calculation,  was  laid  aside  as  impractica- 
ble, till  sir  Hugh  Middleton  undertook  it :  in  consideration  * 
of  which,  the  city  conferred  on  him  and  his  heirs,  April  1, 
1606,  the  full,  right  and  power  of  the  act  of  parliament 
granted  unto  them  in  that  behalf.     Having  therefore  taken 
an  exact  survey  of  all  springs  and  rivers  in  Middlesex  and 
Hertfordshire*  he  made  choice*  of  two  springs,  one  in  the 
parish  of  AmweU  near  Hertford,  the  other  near  Ware,  both 
about  twenty  miles  from  London ;  and,'  having  united  their 
streams,  conveyed  them  to  the  city  with  very  great  labour 
and  expence*     The  work  was  begun  Feb;  20,  1608,  and  * 
carried  on  through  various  soils,   some  oozy  arid  muddy, 
others  extremely  hard  and  rocky.     Many  bridges  in  the 
mean*  time*  wxere  built  over  his  New  River;    and  mapy 
drains uwere  made  to  carry  off  land-springs  and  commons 
sewers, .sometimes  over* and  sometimes  under  it.     Besides " 
these  nefcessary 'difficulties,  he  had,  as  may  easily  be  ima~ 

gin$dt<  maay  others  ,to  struggle  with;  as  the  malice^and 

....  *  i      .  -•   . 

*  Itfog.  UrJt — Nichols's  Bowyer. — Bowlegs  edition  of  Pope's  Works — War-  ' 
b*rtD^LeUert:r~Colfj'«.M3  Atbtw*  in  Brit,  Muf -*D3#<'«oli'*  Qu*rfr  Jt;vrtf I VS 

Vol.  XXII.  h 


14C  NIDDLETOIi 

0 

derision  of  the  vulgar  and  envious,  the  many  hindrance! 
and  complaints  of   persons  through  whose  grounds  the 
channel  was  to  be  cut,  &c.     When  he  had  brought  the 
water  into  the  neighbourhood  of  Enfield,  almost  his  whole 
fortune  was  spent ;   upon  which  he  applied  to  the  lord 
mayor,  and  commonalty  of  London  ;  but  tbey  refusing  to 
interest  themselves  in  the  affair,  he  applied  next  to  king 
James.     The  king,  willing  to  encourage  that  noble  work, 
did,  by  indenture  under  the  great  seal,  dated  May  2,  1612, 
between  him  and  Mr.  Middleton,  covenant  to  pay  half  the 
expence  of  the  whole  work,  past  and  to  come ;  and  thus 
the  design  was  happily  effected,  and  the  water  brought 
into  the  cistern   at  Islington   on  Michaelmas-day,   1613. 
Like  air  other  projectors,  sir  Hugh  greatly  impaired  his 
fortune  by   this  stupendous  work  :  for  though  king  James 
had  borne  so  gr^at  a  part  of  the  expence,  and  did  after* 
wards,  in  1619,  grant  his  letters-patent  to  sir  Hugh  Mid- 
dleton, and  others,  incorporating  them  by  the  name  of 
**  The  Governors  and  Company  of  the  New  River,  brought 
from  Chadwell  and  Amwell  to  London  ;"  impowering  them 
.to  choose  a  governor,  deputy* governor,  and  treasurer,  to 
grant  leases,  &c.  yet  the  profit  it  brought  in  at  first  was 
very  inconsiderable.     There  was  no  dividend  made  among 
the  proprietors  till  the  year  1633,  when  11/.  195.  id.  was 
divided  upon  each  share.    The  second  dividend  amounted  . 
only  to  3/.  4s.  2d.  and  instead  of  a  third  dividend,  a  call 
being  expected,! king  Charles  I.  who  was  in  possession  of 
the  royal  moiety  aforesaid,  re-conveyed  it  again  to  sir  Hugh, 
by  a  deed  under  the  great  seal,  Nov.  18,   I636v  in  consi-  . 
deration  of  sir  Hugh's  securing  to  his  majesty  aud  his  sue* 
cessors  a  fee-farm  rent  of  500/.  per  annum,  out  of  the  pro- 
fits of  the  company,  clear  of  all  reprises.  Sir  Hugh  charged 
that  sum  upon  the  holders  of  the  king's  shares.     He  was  at 
last  under  the  necessity  of  engaging  in  the  business  of  a 
surveyor,  or  what  is  now  denominated  a  civil  engineer,  and 
iii  that  capacity  rendered  essential  services  to  his  country, 
by  various  schemes  of  mining,  draining,  &c.     In  1622  he 
was  created  a  baronet,  and  he  died  in  the  year  1631 ;  since 
which,   the  value  of  the  shares  in  this  New  River,  as  it  is 
still  called,  advanced  so  much  as  to  create  large  fortunes 
to  the  heirs  of  the  original  holders.     A  hundred  pounds 
share,  some  years  since,  sold  as  high  as  fifteen  thousand 
pounds.     Of  late,  however,  there  have  been  several  acts 
•f  parliament  passed  in  favour  of  other  projects,  which 


MIDDLE  TO  N.  J4T 

nave  reduced'  the  value  of  the  New  River  shares  full  6n^ 
naif.  It  is  the  fashion  now  to  decry  the  company  as  extra- 
vagant in  their  charges  for  supplies  of  water ;  but  it  should 
fee  remembered,  that  the  shares  of  this  corporation,  like, 
those  of  other  commercial  companies,  are  perpetually 
changing  their  masters;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  ma- 
jority of  share-holders,  when  their  value  was  even  at  the 
highest,  had  paid  their  full  price,  so  as  to  gain  only  a  mo* 
derate  interest  upon  their  purchase  money. 

MIEL  (Jan),  a  celebrated  Flemish  painter  of  history,' 
fiunting  and  conversation  pieces,  was  born  in  Flanders  in 
1599,  and  was  first  a  disciple  of  Gerard  Segers,  in  whose 
school  his  talents  were  much  distinguished  ;  but  went  to 
complete  his  studies  in  Italy,  where  he  was  distinguished 
by  the  name  of  Giovanni  delle  Vite.  He  particularly  stu- 
died and  copied  the  works  of  the  Caracci  and  Correggio,' 
and  was  admitted  into  the  academy  of  Andrea  Sacchi,  who 
would  have  employed  him  as  an  assistant  to  himself  in  some 
great  works,  had  he  not  unfortunately  preferred  the  familiar 
style  of  Bamboccio,  to  the  elevated  conceptions  of  Sacchi. 
His  general  subjects  for  his  easel  pictures,  which  are  the 
finest  of  his  performances,  were  of  the  familiar  kind  j  but, 
he  also  painted  history,  in  a  large  size,  in  fresco,  and  in 
oil.  His  pictures  of  huntings  are  particularly  admired ; 
the  figures  and  animals  of  every  species  being  designed 
with  uncommon  spirit,  nature,  and  truth.  The  transpa- 
rence of  his  colouring,  and  the  clear  tints  of  his  skies,  en-* 
liven  his  compositions;  nor  are  bis  paintings  in  any  degree 
inferior  to  those  of  Bamboccio,  either  in  their  force  or 
lustre.  His  large  works  are  not  so  much  to 'be  commended 
for  the  goodness  of  the  design,  as  for  the  expression  and 
colouring ;  but  it  is  in  his  small  pieces  that  the  pencil  of 
Miel  appears  in  its  greatest  delicacy  and  beauty.  His  situ 
gular  merit  recommended  him  to  Charles  Emanuel  duke  of 
Savoy,  who  appointed  him  his  principal  painter,  and  after- 
wards honoured  him  with  the  cross  9f  St  Mauritius,  He 
died  in  1664,  aged  siKty-five.* 

MIERIS  (Francis),  called  Old  Francis  Mieris,  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  disciples  of  Gerard  Dow,  was  born  at 
Leyden,  in  1635.     He  imitated  his  master  with  great  dili- 

1  Biog.  Brit. — Gent.  Mag.  See  Index,  and  vol.  LXXIX.  p.  795.— For  * 
more  particular  account  of  the  rise  aod  progress  of  the>  New  Hirer,  see  Lysont'i 
Environs,  vol.  111.  and  IV. 

?  Argenvitle,  vol.' I II.— Pilkington  and  Strait. 

L2 


US  MI  E  R  I  S. 

gence,  and  has  been  thought  in  some  respects  to  surpass 
him.  Minute  accuracy,  in  copying'  common  objects  on  a 
small  scale,  was  the  excellence  of  this  artist,  with  the  same 
sweetness  of  colouring,  and  transparence  that  marks  the 
paintings  of  Dow.  In  design  he  has  teen  thought  more 
comprehensive  and  delicate  than  his  master,  his  touch 
more  animated,  with  greater  freshness  and  force  in  his 
pictures.  His  manner  of  painting  silks,  velvets,'  stuffs,  or 
carpets/  was  sp  studiously  exact,  that  the  differences  of 
their  construction  are  clearly  visible  in  his  representations.' 
His  pictures' are  scarce,  and  generally  bear  a  very  high 
price/  His  own  valuation  of  his  time  was  a  ducat  an  hour; 
and  for  one  picture  of  a  lady  fainting,  with  a  physician 
attending  her,  and  applying  remedies,  he  was  paid  at  that 
ratio,  so  large  a  sum  as  fifteen  hundred  florins.  The  grand* 
duke  of  Tuscany  is  said  to  have  offered  3000  for  it,  but 
was  refused.  One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  works  of 
Francis  Mieris,  in  this  country,  where  theyare  not  very 
common,  is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  P.  H.  Hope,  and  i& 
known  by  the  appellation  of  the  '*  Shrimp  Man.,v  Mieris 
died  in  1681,  at  the  age  of  forty-six.  He  left  two  sons, 
John  and  William,  whp  were  both  eminent  painters,  John,, 
however,  died  young;  William  is  the  subject  of  the  en- 
suing  article. 

MIERIS  (William),  called  the  Young  Mieris^  was  born; 
at  Leyden  in  l6(>2,  and  during  the  life  of  his  father  made 
a  remarkable  progress  under  his  instructions.     When  he 
lost  this  aid,  which  was  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  turned! 
his  attention  to  nature,  and  attained  still  higher  excellence1 
by  an  exact  imitation  of  his  models.     He  painted  history 
occasionally*  and  sometimes  animals,  and  even  landscapes  ; 
and  modelled  in  clay  and  wax  with  so  much  skill,  as  to' 
deserve  the  name  of  ah  excellent  sculptor.     In  the  delicate 
finishing  of  his  works  he  copied  his  father,  and  also  in  the 
lustre,  harmony,  and  truth   of  his  paintings;  altogether, 
however,  they  are  not  quite  equal  to  those  of  the  elder 
Mieris^     He  died  in  1747,  at  the  age  of  eighty- five!     He 
left  a  son  named  Francis,  who  is  called  the  Young  Francis' 
Mieris,  to  distinguish  him  from  his  grandfather.  He  paintec}. 
in  the  same  style,  but  was  inferior  to  his.  father  and  grand* 
father;  yet  there  is  no  doubt  that  his  pictures  are  often 
sold  in  collections  under  the  name  of  one  of  the  former.  *  • 

*  Argenville,  vol.  HI.— Pilkiogton.  •  Ibty. 


M16NARD.  i'49 

'  MIGNARD  (Peter),  an  historical  and  portrait  painter, 
was  born  at  Troyes,  in  Champagne,  in  1610.  He  Was  the 
disciple  of  Vouet,  but  quitted  his  school  at  an  early  period 
Of  his  life,  and  went  to  Rome,  anxious  to  see  and  study 
the  vyorks  of  Raphael,  Michael  Angelo,  and  the  Caracci. 
fie  there  lived  with  Du  Fresnoy,  and  they  studied  together 
the  noble  works  of  art  which  that  city  presented  to  them  ; 
they  also  travelled  together  to  Florence  and  Venice,  that 
they  fnight  leave  no  source  of  improvement  unsought  which 
the  extraordinary  talents  of  their  great  predecessors  had 
prepared  and  left  for  their  study  and  imitation,  Mignard's 
residence  at  Rome,  which  he  prolonged  for  twenty-two 
years,  and  the  style  he  acquired  of  composition  and  draw* 
ing  by  the  imitation  of  the  Roman  masters,  together,  ob- 
tained for  him  the  appellation  of  the  Roman ;  but  to  judge 
Candidly,  one  would  imagine  that  the  former  was  the  prin- 
cipal cause  of  that  denomination ;  for  his  style  of  design 
savours  too  much  of  the  flutter  of  the  French  school,  instead 

Jf  the  chaste  simplicity  of  Raphael  and  the  best  of  the 
tomans.  He  enjoyed,  however,  a  full  share  of  favour  and 
fortune  during  his  life,  fie  painted  portraits  of  the  popes 
tJrban  VIII.  and  Alexander  VII.  together  with  those  of 
Aiany  of  the  nobility  of  Rome. 

Louis  XIV.  hearing  of  his  fame  and  abilities,  sent  for 
Him  to  Paris,  and  is  said  to  have  sat  to  him  for  his  portrait 
tien  times.  Almost  all  the  illustrious  nobles  of  the  French 
dourt  followed  the  example  of  their  sovereign,  and  were 
fainted  by  Mignard.  His  style  of  execution  in  these  porr 
traits  is  Wrought  up  with  all  the  false  taste  and  pompous 
parade  which  distinguished  that  vicious  period  of  the  French 
riatibn  ;  in  his  pictures  every  thing  seems  in  motion  ;  even 
When  tBe  scene  is  laid  in  a  close  joom,  the  draperies  are 
flying  about  as  in  a  high  wind.  With  these  and  other  de- 
fective points  in  his  character  as  an  artist,  Mignard  must 
be  allowed  to  be  the  best  portrait-painter  of  the  French 
School.  The  kin?  ennobled  him ;  and,  after  Le  Brun's 
death,  appointed  him  his  principal  painter,  and  the  direc- 
tor of  the  manufactories  of  Seve  and  the  Gobelins.  H^ 
lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-five,  dying  in  1695.  He  had 
an  elder  brother,  whose  name  was  Nicholas,  a  skilful 
painter,  but  who  never  rose  to  equality  with  him.  * 

1  Argenrille,  vol.  IV. — Perrault  Le«  Homines  lllustres.— Strutt'*  Diet.— Wal- 
nele't  Anecdotes,  for  hie  nephew*— Reel's  Cvdopadia. 


150  M  l  G  N  O  N.  ■ 

MlGNON,or  MINION  ^Abraham),  a  painter  of  Frank- 
fort, was  born  in  1639,  and  celebrated  for  his  delicate  and, 
accurate  touch  in  painting  flowers,  insects,  fruit,  and  still 
life.  The  insects  introduced  by  him  are  exquisitely  painted,, 
and  the  drops  of  dew  upon'  the  fruits  and  flowers,  have  all. 
the  transparency  of  real  water,  and  he  would  have  been 
esteemed  the  first  painter  in  this  style  had  not  Van  Hay- 
sum  appeared.     Mignon  died  in  1 679. l 

MIGNOT  (Stephen),  a  learned  French  canonist,  was 
born  at  Paris,  March  17,  1698.  In  bis  younger  years  he 
tgent  through  a  complete  course  of  education,  .and  even 
then  gave  proofs  of  those  talents  in  theology  and  general ' 
literature  which  constituted  the  reputation  of  bis  future 
life.  After  studying  with  care  and  success  the  ^Oriental 
languages,  the  holy  Scriptures,  the  fathers,  church  his* 
tory,  and  the  canon  law,  he  received  his  degree  of  doctor 
of  divinity  in  April  1722.     After  this,  his  attention  was 

{Particularly  directed  to  the  history  and  antiquities  of  the. 
aws  and  customs  of  his  country,  which  made  him  often  be 
consulted  by  political  and  professional  men,  and  procured 
him  the  esteem  and  confidence,  among  others,  of  the  cele- 
brated chancellor  D'Aguesseau.    Mignot,  however,  amidst 
these  advantages,  which  opened  an  easy  way  to  promotion, 
indulged  his  predilection  for  a  retired  life,  and  was  so  little 
jdesirous  of  public  notice  that  he  seldom,  if  ever,  put  hjs 
name  to  bis  works ;  but  he  was  not  allowed  to  remain  in 
obscurity,  and,  although    somewhat  late   in  life,  he   was 
elected  a  member  of  the  academy  of  inscriptions,  to  whose 
memoirs  he  furnished  some  excellent  papers  on  topics  of 
ancient  history.     He  died  July  25,  1771,  in  the  seventy- 
third  year  of  his  age,  leaving  the  following  works, .which 
were  all  much  esteemed  in  France:   1.  "Trait6  des  prets 
de  commerce,"  Paris,  1759,  *  vols.  12mo.     To  this   be 
pdded  a  5th  vol.  in  1767,  that  he  might  answer  the  abb6 
La  Porte,  who  had  opposed  his  opinions  respecting  usurious 
interest.     2.  "  Les    Droits   de   l'etat  et  du  prince  sur  let 
biens  du  clerge,"  1755,   6  vols.  12mo.v     3.  "  Histoire  des 
demeles  de   Henry  II.   avec .  St.  Thomas  de  Cantorbery.,". 
1756,  12mo,  a  work,  if  well  executed,  of  some  importance 
in  English  history.     4.  "  Histoire  de  la  reception  du  Cor>- 
cile  de  Trente  dans  les  etats  catholiques,"  Amst.  1756,  % 

vols.  12uiq.     5.  "  Paraphrase  sur  les  Psaumes,"  and  some 

t  ...» 

Argentine,  'vol.  II,— PjlkiDgt<m. 


'     MIGNOT.      .  151 

paraphrases  on  other  parts  of  the  Bible.  He  published 
also  a  few  religious  works,  a  Memoir  on  the  liberties  of  the 
Gallican  church,  and  "  La  Verit6  de  l'Histoire  de  l'Eglise 
de  St.  Omer,"  1754,  4to,  a  work  improperly  attributed 
to  the  abbl  de  Bonnaire.  There  was  another  abbl  Migw 
not,  who  died  in  1790,  the  nephew  of  Voltaire,  and  who, 
fearing  that  the  remains  of  his  uncle  would  not  be  allowed 
Christian  burial,  had  him  interred  in  his  abbey  of  Selliere. 
He  wrote  a  history  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  and  a  transla- 
tion of  Quintus  Curtius. l 

MILBOURNE  (Luke),  a  poetical  writer  of  no  very 
honourable  reputation,  was  the  son  of  a  nonconformist 
minister,  of  both  his  names,  a  native  of  Loughborough  in 
Leicestershire,  who  was  ejected  from  the  living  of  Wrox- 
hal  in  Warwickshire.  He  died  in  1667.  Of  his  son,  little 
seems  to  be  known  unless  that  he  was  educated  at  Pem- 
broke hall,  Cambridge,  where  he  is  said  to  have  taken  his 
master's  degree,  but  we  do  not  find  him  in  the  list  of  gra- 
duates of  either  university.  Mr.  Malone  thinks  he  was 
beneficed  at  Yarmouth,  from  whence  he  dates  his  corre- 
spondence about  1690.  We  are  more  certain  that  he  was 
instituted  to  the  living  of  St.  Ethelburga  within  Bishops- 
gate,  London,  in  1704,  and  long  before  that,  in  1688,  was 
chosen  lecturer  of  Shoreditch.  Dryden,  whom  he  was 
weak  enough  to  think  he  rivalled,  says  in  the  preface  to 
his  "  Fables,"  that  Melbourne  was  turned  out  of  his  bene- 
fice for  writing  libels  on  his  parishioners.  This  must  have 
been  his  Yarmouth  benefice,  if  be  had  one,  for  he  retained 
the  rectory  of  St.  Ethelburga,  and  the  lectureship  of  Shore- 
ditch,  to  his  death,  which  happened  April  15,  1720.  As 
an  author  he  was  known  by  a  "  Poetical  Translation  of 
Psalms,"  1698,  of  a  volume  called  "  Notes  on  Dry  (Jen's 
Virgil,"  1698  ;  of  "  Tom  of  Bedlam's  Answer  to  Hoadly," 
&c>  He  is  frequently  coupled  with  Blackmore,  by  Dry- 
den, in  his  poems,  and  by  Pope  in  "  The  Art  of  Criticism ;" 
and  is  mentioned  in  "  The  Dunciad."  He  published  thirty- 
one  single  "  Sermons,"  between  1692  and  1720;  a  book 
against  the  Socinians,  1692,  12mo;  and  "  A  Vindication 
of  the  Church  of  England,"  1726,  2  vols.  Svo.  A  whim- 
sical copy  of  Latin  verses,  by  Luke  Milbourne,  B.  A.  is  in 
the  "  Lacrym®  Cantabrigienses,  1 670,"  on  the  death  of 
Henrietta  duchess  of  Orleans.     Dr.  Johnson,  in  the  Life  of 

l  Necrologie  des  Hommet  Ccltbres  poor  airaee  1772.— Diet.  Hut. 


jU2  M  ri/B  OUIRN  E. 

i 

Dry  den  >  speaking  of  that  poet's  transition  »f  Virgil,  wy*, 
"MUbouvne,  indeed,  a  clergyman, /attacked  it(Dryden*s 
Virgil),  .but  bis  outrages  seem  to  be  the  ebullitions  ef  to 
mind  agitated,  by  stronger  resentnientlhan  bad  poetry  can 
jexcite,  and  previously  resolved  not  to  be  -pleased.  His 
.criticism  extends  only  to  the  preface,  pastorals,  and  geo*- 
igieks ;  and,  as  be  professes  to  give  this  antagonist  an  op- 
portunity of  reprisal,  he  has  added  bis  own  version  of  the 
iifst  and  fourth  pastorals,  and  the  first  georgic"  Mafooe 
conjectures  that  Milbourne's  enmity  to  Dryden  originally 
arose  from  Dry  den's  having  taken  his  work  out  of  his 
Jbande;  as  he  once  projected  a  translation  of  Virgil,  and 
published  a  version  of  the  first  JEneid.  As  he  had  Dryden 
-and  his  friends,  and  Pope  and  his  friends  against  fahtf,  We 
cannot  expect  a  very  favourable  account  either  of  *hfe 
-talents  or  morals.  Once  only  we  find  him  fespectfttHy 
•mentioned,  by  Dr.  Walker,  who  thanks  htm  for  sevcffal 
valuable  communications  relative  to  the  sequestered  di*- 
«ines.  * 

MILDMAY  (Sir  Walter),  an  eminent  statesman  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  and  founder  of  Emmanuel  college, 
•Cambridge,  was  the  fourth  eon  of  Thomas  Mjldmay,  esq. 

by  Agnes,  his  wife,  daughter  of *•  Read.     He  was  ted*** 

cated  at  Christ's  college,  Cambridge,  where  be  made  great 
jMraficiency  in  learning,  and  to  which  college  he  afterward* 
became  a  benefactor.  In  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  be 
succeeded  to  the  office  which  had  been  held  by  his  fatter, 
that  of  surveyor  of  the  court  of  augmentation*  ereoted  by 
statute  27  Henry  VIII.  for  determining  suits  and  control 
versies  relating  to  monasteries  and  abbey-lands.  It  took 
its  name  from  the  great  augmentation  that  was  made  tothte 
revenues  of  the  crown  by  the  suppression  of  the  religious 
houses*  In  1547,  immediately  after  the  coronation  of 
Edward  VI.  he  was  made  one  of  the  knights  of ;  the  carpet. 
He  had  also  in  this  reign  the  chief  direction  of  the  mint, 
and  the  management,  under  several  special  commissions, 
of  the  king's  revenues,  particularly  of  those  which  atose 
from  the  crown  lands,  the  aaturb  and  value  of  w  hick  he 
bad  made  bis  chief  study.  In  1552  he  represented  'the 
town  of  Maidon,  Essex*  in  parliament,  and  was  a-  burgess 
in  the  first  parliament  of  Mary  fot  the*  city  of  Peterborough  j 

1  Ellis's  Hist,  of  Shoreditch. — Nichols's  Poems. — Malone*s  Dryden,  vol.  I. 
314;  IV.  63V645.— Caiawp. 


*M  I  L  D  M  A  Y.  V& 


arid  rstt*<afeer*a*d0  as  6tfe  of  the  knights  fdr  the  c6tfri!y 
'Northampton.  ■  How  he  carte  to  escape  during-  this'dfetes- 
ftabl©  reign  we  are  not  told,  tmltss,  as  some  thirifc,  that 
•Hte  cdnceated  his  affection  to  the  protesfatft  teKgftm ;" 
4>ot  that' was  probably  well  known,  and  he  was  lift  ef  war  A 
tmrt  only*  zealous  protestant,  tmta  friend,  6r>  many  6dca>- 
sions,  to  the  puritans.  tiaeeo  Elizabeth,  on  the  death  of 
•sir  Richard  Saekville  in  1566,  gave  him  the  office  <>f  tfhan- 
weltar  of  the  exchequer,  and  he  beanie  a  rmfet  useful,  hut 
•not  -a  favoured  servant,  for  his  integrity  was  too  Miff  tb 
4>end  to  the  {politics  of  that  reign,  and  his  consequent  po-- 
•pularity 'ettcited  the  continual  jealousy  of  his  mistress  :  fete 
*was  therefore  never  advanced  to  any' higher  post,  though 
*not*e  of  the  fetters  published  by  Mr.  Lodge,  he  is  men*- 
iioto&d  as  a  candidate  for  the  seals,  Honest  Falter,  in  his 
<q**iftt  w&y,  thus  Expresses  sir  Walter's  conduct  and  it* 
<ec*i«equences :  «<  Bteing  employed  by  virtue  of  his  place,  to 
advance' the  <ju^nV  treasure,  he  did  it  industriously,  faith* 
firiiy,  and  consciofraMy,  without  wronging  the  subject^ 
fefeiftg  very,  tender  of  their  privileges,  insomuch  that  he 
otKfe  cbnpkLitied  in  parliament,  that  rhahy  subsidies  were 
g**nfed4  arid  no  gfiteVaticefc  redressed;  which  wordS  be rn£ 
represented  with  disadvantage  to  the  queen,  made  her  to 
cfeafiFect  htm)  setting  in  a  court^clottd,  but  in  thte  Sun- 
ahttte  of  his  country,  and  a  dear  conscience."  hi  158£ 
be  was  employed  in  a  trfeaty  with  the  unfortiinatfe  queen 
Of  Scots,  accompanied  hy  sir  Witliafn  Cecil. 

After  retaining  bis  post  of  chancellor  bf  the  efcchequer 
for.UWettty-thrge  years,  be  died  May  31,  1589,  arid  was 
buried  in  the  chancel  of  the  church  of  St.  Bartholomew  the 
Great,  in  West  Smithfield,  where  a  handbome  monunlent 
Was  ^refeted  to  his  memory.  Sir  Walter  married  Maryj 
sister  to  sir  Fntncis  Walsirtgham,  by  Whom  he  had  two 
460*4  Artthrjny  anid  Humphrey,  and  three  daughters,  Wi- 
wftedt  trittrried  tb  Willtom  Fitzwilliam,  of  Griin*p&rk,  ih 
<£sf*e*,  an  ancestor  of  the! 'present  earl  Fitzfrilliarn  ;  Chris- 
tian, to  Charles  ©arret,  of  Avely,  in  the  same  cddHty;  arid 
Martha,  to  William  Broohker. 

*  .He  was  a  very  learned  man,  &nd  an  eminent  encouraged 
iff  literature,  as  appears  by  his  founding  Emrriariuel  cot- 
teg^-  €athbrldge^  Which,  by  'the  additional  Assistance  of 
other  benefactors,  arose  gradually  to  its  present  flourish- 
ing state.  Fuller  tells  us  that  the  founder  "  coming  to 
court,  the  queen  told  him,  *  Sir  Walter,  I  hear  you  have 


*54  MILD  MAY. 

» 

erected  a  puritan  fbutidfetion.'  <  No  madam/  saytfa  he> 
1  far  be  it  from  me  to  countenance  any  thing  contrary  to 
your  established  laws ;.  but  I  have  set  an .  acorn,  which 
when  it  becomes  an  oak9  God  alone  knows  what  will  be 
the  fruit  thereof.9 "  He  had  so  much  of  the  puritan  about 
him,  however,  as  to  make  the  chapel  stand  north  and 
south,  instead  of  east  and  west l 

MILL  (Henry),  many  years  principal  engineer  to  the 
New  river  company,  a  man  to  whom  the  city  of  London 
and  its  environs  have  had  many  and  great  obligations,  was 
the  son  of  a  gentleman*  and  nearly  related  to  a  baronet 
of  that  name.  He  was  born  in  London,  in  or  near  Red 
Lion  square,  Holborn,  soon  after  1680.  He  had  a  liberal 
education,  was  for  some  time  at  one  of  the  universities, 
and  at  a  very  early  period  of  life  displayed  his  skill  in 
mechanics.  Though  we  are  unable  to  fix  either  his  age, 
or  the  time,  yet  it  is  certain  that  he  was  very  young  when 
the  New-river  company  engaged  him  as  their  principal 
engineer ;  in  which  station  he  continued,  with  the  highest 
esteem,  till  his  death.  During  this  period  they  placed 
implicit  confidence  in  him,  and  with  the  utmost  reason ; 
for  through  his  skill  and  labours,  their  credit,  their  power, 
.and  their  capital,  were  continually  increasing.  Mr.  Mill 
also,  among  other  undertakings  of  the  kind,  supplied  the 
town  of  Northampton  with  water,  for  which  he  was  pre- 
sented with  the  freedom  of  that  corporation  ;  and  provided 
an  ample  supply  of  water  to  the  noble  seat  of  sir  Robert 
Walpole,  at  Houghton,  in  Norfolk,  which  was  before  so 
deficient  in  that  respect,  that  Cibber  one  day,  being  in 
the  gardens,  exclaimed,  "  Sir  Robert,  sir  Robert,  here  is 
a  crow  will  drink  up  all  your  canal !"  Mr.  Mill,  through 
age,  becoming  infirm,  particularly  from  a  paralytic  stroke, 
an  assistant  was  taken  into  the  company's  service  (Mr. 
Mylne,  the  late  engineer),  but  without  derogation  to  him; 
on  the  contrary,  though  he  ceased  to  take  an  active  part, 
he  constantly  attended  on  the  board-days,  his  advice  was 
asked,  and  his  salary  continued  to  his  death.  Mr.  Mill 
was  of  a  pleasing,  amiable  disposition ;  his  manners  were 
mild  and  gentle,  and  bis  temper  cheerful.  He  was  a  man 
of  great  simplicity  of  life  and  manners:  in  a  word,  it 
seemed  to  be  bis   care  to  "  have  a  conscience  void  of 

1  Biog.  Brit. — Fuller's  Hift*  of  Cambridge.— Lodge's  Illustrations,  vol.  II.— 
Lloyd's  State  Worthies. 


MILL,  155 

Atfisnce."  He  was  suddenly  seized  with  a  fit,  Dec.  25, 1 770, 
and  died  before  the  next  morning.  His  surviving  sister, 
Mrs.  Hubert,  erected  a  monument  to  his  memory  in  the 
parish-church  of  Breemoore,  near  Salisbury. 1 
.  MILL  (John),  the  learned  editor  of  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment, was  the  son  of  Thomas  Mill,  of  Banton  or  Battipton, 
near  the  town  of  Shap  in  Westmoreland,  and  was  born  at 
Shap  about  1645.  Of  his  early  history  our  accounts  are 
very  scanty;  and  as  his  reputation  chiefly  rests  on  his  Greek 
Testament,  which  occupied  the  greater  part  of  his  life, 
and  as  he  meddled  little  in  affairs  unconnected  with  his 
studies,  we  are  restricted  to  a  very  few  particulars.  His 
father  being  in  indifferent  circumstances,  he  was,  in  1661, 
entered  as  a  servitor  of  Queen's  college,  Oxford,  where  w? 
piay  suppose  bis  application  soon  procured  him  respect. 
Bishop  Ken  net  tells  us,  that  in  his  opinion,  he  "  talked 
and  wrote  the  best  Latin  of  any  man  in  the  university,  and 
was  the  most  airy  and  facetious  in  conversation — in  all 
respects  a  bright  man."  At  this  college  he  took  the  de- 
gree of  B.  A.  in  May  1666,  and  while  bachelor,  was  se- 
lected to  pronounce  an  "  Oratio  panegyiica"  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Sheldon  theatre  in  1669.  In  November  of  the 
same  year  he  took  his  master's  degree,  was  chosen  fellow, 
and  became  an  eminent  tutor.  He  then  entered  into  holy 
orders,  and  was,  according  to  Kennet,  a  "  ready  extern- 
/  pore  preacher."  In  1676  his  countryman  and  fellow- 
collegian,  Dr.  Thomas  Lamplugb,  being  made  bishop  of 
Exeter,  he  appointed  Mr.  Mill  to  be  one  of  his  chaplains, 
and  gave  him  a  minor  prebend  in  the  church  of  Exeter. 
In  July  1680  he  took  his  degree  of  B.  D. ;  in  August  1681 
he  was  presented  by  his  college  to  the  rectory  of  Bleching* 
don,  in  Oxfordshire ;  and  in  December  of  that  year  he 
proceeded  D.  D.  about  which  time  he  became  chaplain  in> 
ordinary  to  Charles  II.  by  the  interest  of  the  father  of  one 
of  his  pupils.  On  May  5,  1685,  he  was  elected  and  ad- 
mitted principal  of  St.  Edmund's  Hall,  a  station  particu- 
larly convenient  for  his  studies.  By  succeeding  Dr.  Cross* 
thwaite  in  this  office,  bishop  Kennet  says  he  had  the  ad- 
.  vantage  of  shining  the  brighter;  but  "  he  was  so  much 
taken  up  with  the  one  thing,  '  his  Testament,'  that  he  had 
not  leisure  to  attend  to  the  discipline  of  the  house,  which 
rose  and  fell  ^according,  to  bis  different  vice-principals." 

i  G«nt.  Mag.  XLIX.  and  I<. 


*V6  *  1  L  '£. 

lb  1 1&4>  archbishop  Sharp  obtained  for  htm  ftoin  queefe 
Atine,  *  prebend  of  Canterbury,  in  Which  he  Succeeded 
Dr.  Bevteridge,  then  promoted  to  the  see  of  St.  Asaph. 
He  had  completed  his  great  undertaking,  the  new  edition 
xif  the  Gteek  Testament,  whfe'n  he  died  of  to  kpopieetie 
At,  Jtffce  23,  1707,  and  was  buried  in  the  chancel  of  Blecft- 
iftgdon  chutch,  where,  in  a  short  inscription  on  his  rhonti- 
tnent,  he  is  celebrated  for  what  critics  have  thought  this 
tnost  valuable  pan  of  his  labours  oh  the  New  Testatriefit', 
his  *«  prolegomena  rtarmore  perenniofa." 

Of  this  edition  of  the  Greek  Testament,  Michaefis  re* 
tafarks,  that  "  the  infancy  of  criticism  ends  with  the  editiori 
df  Gregory,  aftd  the  age  of  manhood  commences  with  that 
of  Mill."  This  work  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  most  mag- 
nificent publications  tbatgver  appeared,  and  ranks  rtexttd 
that  of  Wetstein,  in  importance  and  utility.  It  was  pub- 
lished only  fourteen  days  before  his  death,  and  had  been 
the  labour  of  thirty  years.  He  undertook  it  By  the  advicfe 
of  Dr.  John  Fell,  bishop  of  Oxford  ;  and  the  impression  was 
be£un  at  bis  lordship's  charge,*  in  his  printing-house  near  the 
theatre.  But  after  the  'bishop's  death  his  executors  were 
hot  wHlitig  to  -proceed;  and  therefore  Dr.  Mill,  perhaps  hurt 
at  this  refusal,  and  willing  to  shew  his  superior  liberality; 
Feftttided  the  sums  which  the  bishop  had  paid,  and  finished 
the  impression  at  his  own  expence.  The  expectations 
of  the  learned;  foreigners'  as  well  as  English,  #ere  raised 
very  High  in  consequence  <rf  Dr.  Mill's  character,  and  were 
not  disappointed.  It  Was,  however,  atacked  at  length  by 
the  learned  Dr.  Datiiel  Whitby,  in  his  ";Exartieh  varian-i 
iSutti  fectibriutu  Johannis  Milli,  S.  T.  P.  &c.  in  1710,  orj 
an  examination  of  the  various  readings  of  Dr.  John  Mill 
ttpon  the  New  Testament ;  ih  which  it  is  shewn,  I.  That 
the  foundations  of  these  Varibus  readings  are  altogether 
uncertain,  and  unfit  to  subvert  the  present  reading  of  the 
terft.  II.  That  those  various  readings,  which  are  of  any 
niomeht,  arid  alter  the  sense  of  the  text,  are  very  few* 
arid  that  in  all  these  cases'  the  reading  of  the  text  may  be 
defended.  III.  That  the  viaribus  readings  of  lesser  moment; 
Vvhich  afe  considered  at  large,  are  such  as  will  not  warrant 
tils  to  recede  frbrfi  the  vulgarly  received  reading.  IV.  That 
Dr.  Mill,  in  collecting  these  various  readings,  hath  ofteh 
acted  disingenuously ;  that  he  abounds  ih  false  citations; 
and  frequently  contradicts  himself.'9  The  various  read- 
ings which  Mill  had  collected,  amounted,  as  it  was  sup- 


miku  mi 

ppsed,  to,  abfvft  3$,qQft;,  a,ud  tUis  alajnped  Jhr,  Whitby* 
who  thought  that  the  textwa?  tb^us,  made  presar^ws,  and 
a  handle  given  to  t^e  free-t^in^ers ;  and  it  iscertai/i  that 
Collins,  in  hjs  "  Disfpunie  opop  Free- thinking,"  urges  a 
passage  opt  of  this  book  of  Whitby's,  to  shew,  that  Mill's 
various  reading?  of  the  N$qr  Testajgeitt .  must  render  the 
text  itself  doubtful^  But  to  tbi%  objeptipu  Bentley,  in  hi* 
Phijeleutherus  Lipsjf  npis,  has  given,  a.  full  and  decisive 
answer,  the  substanpe  of  which  wjjl  bear  transcription :, 
"  The^30,000  various  l^fitipps  thep*"  s*y§  Bentley,  ".  ax«t 
aUowe^  and  confessed  ;  apd  if  n^r^e  cppies  yet  are  col-: 
latfclj,  the  ,su pi  will  still  mounjt;  higher.  And  what  iatho 
mfcrjervfprfrpm  this,  ?  why  one  Gregpry,  here  quot$d#;  in* 
fers,  t^ajno  profyneautfapr  what^yer  has  suffered  so;  ouiqU 
by  the  hand  of  tip^e,  a*,  the,  New..  Testament,  has  dona* 
Now,  if  this  shall,  be  found  utterly  false,  and  if  the,  sqr*p- 
tyraj  text  has  no  m^  variatipns  than  wbat  mu*t  n££esr. 
sarily  havq  happened  fi»nfctbe  nature  of  things*  ajutwhafe 
are  como^on,,  and  in  equal  proportion,  in  all  class, ips, what*) 
ever^  I  hope  this  panic  wijl  be  removed*  and  the  tex*  be* 
thought  ast  firm,  as  before  If/'  says,  he,  "  there  had,  bean; 
but,one^MS,.o£  tlji<? ,  Qr$fck  Testament  at  the  restoration  ofc 
IjJFWgc  abopfc  t*Q  ceptviriss  ago*,  then,  we  had  had  no* 
vappus  readings,  af, all.  And  would,  the  text  be  in  a  better 
condition,  then,  than  now  we  haye  30,000  ?  So  far  from; 
tl)at,  that  iij.  tbfi.  best  single  copy  extant  we  should,  have; 
haa  hundreds,  of  faults,  and.  sQnie  omissions  irceparable  i' 
u^des-^at  ttye  suspicions  of  fraijd  apd  foul  play  would  have 

1){£P  increased  'W^Wfily*  II  *s  8°°d>  therefore,  to  have* 
nxore  ap^hqrs  thai)  one ;  and  another  MS*  t&  join,  with  the; 
%st,  wguld  give  mpre.aqtbpjri.ty,!  as  wel]  as  security..  Now; 
chusetl)atsecoucJ  where  ypu  will,  there^haH  be.a  thousand, 
vacations  fr#ina  infinity  a,pd  yet  half  or  mors  of  the. faults, 
shall  atilj  reo^ain  in,  thqu^  both,  A  third,  therefore,  and; 
so  a  fqur^  aqji, fstill  jon,,, are  desirable;  that,  by  a  joint* 
and  mmpaJ  h^jp,  al)  the  faults  o#y  be.  mended ;  some, 
copy  preserving  the  true  reading  iq  pn$  place*  and  some \ 
in.  another*,  And  yet;  tfte  more  copies,  ypu  call  to  assist- 
ance, th£jpore/dq  th^yariogs  readings  multiply  upon  you:;, 
ej^ry  copy  halving  its.p$£uljar  slips,;  though  in  a  principal* 
P9¥afieiPr  tw9  i^ do  siQgujar  service,  And  .this  is, a  fact, 
not  .ouiyjn  the  New  Tegument,  but  in.  all  .ancient  books- 
whatever.  It  is  a,, good  providence,  and  a  great  blessing,1' 
cQ^inja^li^ .."jtafcpfe  matty  JV^Sf.;Qf«the,New  Testaqwait . 


4$)  MI;Lt  A  R. 

ele^o,  $9  th$  university  of  Glasgow.    He  ^  design^ 
/qx  the  cfaurcb,  but  having  early,  conceived  a,  plislike  to  tb$i 
profession*  and  tinned  his  attention-  tathje,. study  of  th$ 
law,  he  was  iqvited  by  lo*d  Kaunas  to  reside  in  his  famUy* 
apd  to  superintje^d,  in,  the  quality  of  j pjecsptor,  tbe.edu-, 
cation  of  his  son*  Mt»  George. Dr  unamend  Hpme.    Lord 
K;u$es  foqnd  in  young  Millar  a  fcoqgenia^  ardour  of  jnteW 
lest,  a  niiod  turned,  to  philosophical  sp^^uiation#  a  consi- 
derable fund  of  reading,  k  and  w,bat  :a&ove  all  tljiogp  he  de- 
lighted in*  a  t^t  for  supporting  a  mqta^pbysicaJL  argu- 
ment in  conversation,  with  .much  ingt#u*ty .  and  vi vacky. 
The  tutor  of  the  son,  therefore,  became  the<  companion,  of 
the  father : .  arid ,  the  two,  years  before  IVf  Ular  was,,  called  to 
the  bar,  were,  spent,  witfe  great,  ifppregepettf  on  his. part* 
ip,  .acquiring  those  enJargepV  views  pf  tb^^nionof.law  with, 
ptylpsaphy,  which,  he;  afterwards  displayed  witb  uncon^ 
nftpn  a,bf lity  in  hi^  a^adeu^cal  lectujqes^on  jurisprudence..  At; 
ti^is ,  period    he,    contrasted  aa  acquittance  with;  David 
H-urnej  tto,  wfrQ*e,  metaphyseal  opinions  be  became  aconr 
vert,  thoqgh  he  n^tqrially,  differed  fppr^hiu^upop  political 
topics.     In  1760  Mr.  IVJ;ll^r  began  to,  practise  at  the  bar* 
apd  was  regarded  a$  a  rising  young  lawyer,  when  he  tbpugbfc 
proper  to  bf3cprne;a  candidate  foi-  the  vacant  professorship; 
of  latitat  Glasgow*  and.  supppried  by  the  rccpcuiiiendatkw 
of,  lord  Karnes  and  Dr.  Adam.  Sniit^,  he  wa?  appointed  in. 
176 1,  and  immediately  began  to  execute,  its  duties.     The 
r^atation, of  the*  university*  as  a,;scliqpl  of  jurisprudence, 
ro*e  fronj  that  acquisition,  and  although,,  .says  lord  Wood-? 
hqnaelee,  the  republican -prejudices  rof  Mr^ Millar  gave  hi$. 
lecture?  on  politic*  j^nd;  government  a  character  justly  con*, 
sidered-as  repugnant  to  the.  well-aUer^pered  .frame,  and 
eqpal  balance  of  our  improved  constitution ;  there  were, 
fqwwbo  amended  thosQ  lectures  without  at. least  an  increase, 
of  knowjedge, .  He  lectured  in  English,,  and  spoke  fluently' 
with^be^ssisjtanfce  .of  mere  nates  only..    By,  this  mot  hod. 
hjjs  lectqre&were  rendered  full  of  variety  and  animations, 
and  at  the  conclusion  of  each  he  was  accustomed  to  ^e^ 
plain  the  difficulties  and,  objections  that  had.,  presented 
themselves  to  hjs  pupils,  in  a  free  and,  familiar  cpn versa- > 
tioq.     In  mu  he  published  a  treatise, on  *'The  Origin  pf, 
th^  Distinction  of  R&nks,"  in  wbich.he  shew^  himself  a^. 
disciple  of  the  school  of  Montesquieu,  and  deals  much  in 
that  sort  of  speculation  which  Mr.  Dugald  Stewart,  in  his. 
Life  of  Smith,  called  theoretical  or  conjectural  history.  This. 


MILLAR.  161 

work  however  was  well  received  by  the  public,  and  haa  gont) 
through  several  editions*     His  inquiries  into  the,  English 
government,    which   made  an  important  part  of  bis  lee* 
lures,    together  with  a  zealous  attachment  to   what  he 
thought  the  geuuine  principles   of  liberty,    produced  in 
1787  the  first  volume  of  ao  "  Historical  View  of  the  Eng- 
lish  Government,'9    in   which   he   traces   the   progressive 
changes  in  the  property,  the  state  of  the  people,  and  the 
government  of  England,  from  the  settlement  of  the  Sax- 
ons to  the  accession  of  the  house  of  Stuart.     In  this  work 
we  observe  the  same  spirit  of  system,  and  the  same  par- 
tiality to  hypothetical  reasoning,  as  in  the  former :  though 
resting,  as  may  be  supposed,  on  a  more  solid  foundation 
of  facts  :  and  the  less  dangerous  in  its  tendency,  as  being 
every  where  capable  of  scrutiny  from  actual  history.     It  ia 
impossible,  however,  to  peruse  this,  or  his.  other  works, 
without  meeting  with  much  valuable  information,  and  facts 
placed  in  those  new  lights,  which  excite  inquiry,  and  ulti- 
mately promote  truth.    Mr.  Millar's  researches  were  by, no 
means  confined  to  politics,  Uvv,  or  metaphysics.     His  ac- 
quaintance with  the  works  of  imagination,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  was  also  very  extensive,  and  his  criticisms 
were  at  once  ingenious  and  solid,  resulting  from  an  acute 
understanding  and  a  correct  taste.    He  died  May  30,  1801, 
at  the  age  of  sixty- nine,  leaving  behind  him  several  manu- 
scripts, from  which,  in  1803,  were  printed,  in  two  volumes, 
his  posthumous  works, .  consisting  or  an  historical  view  of 
the  English  government  from  the  accession  of  the  house  of 
Stuart,  and  some  separate  dissertations  connected  with  the 
subject.1 

MILLER  (James),  a  political  and  dramatic  writer,  the 
son  of  a  clergyman  who  possessed  two  livings  of  consider- 
able value  in  Dorsetshire,  was  born  in  1703,  and  received 
bis  education  at  Wad  ham  college,  in  Oxford.  His  natu- 
ral genius  and  turn  for  satire  led  him,  by  way  of  relax- 
ation from  his  more  serious  studies,  to  apply  some  por- 
tion of  his  time  to  the  Muses ;  and,  during  his  residence 
at  the  university,  he  composed  great  part  of  a  comedy, 
called  the  "  Humours  of  Oxford  ;"  some  of  the  characters 
ia  which  being  either  designed  for,  or  bearing  a  strong  re- 
semblance to,  persons  resident  in  Oxford,  gave  consider- 
able umbrage,  created  the  author  many  enemies,  and  pro- 

4  . 

1  Life,  pre6xed  to  the  fourth  edition  of  his  "Origin  sod  Distinction  of 
taiks.»~-Lord  Woojjltieiumtee**  Life  of  Karnes. 

Vojl  XXIL  M 


.  i 


162  MILLE  R. 

bably  laid  the  foundation  of  the  greatest  part  of  bid  misfor- 
tunes through  life.  On  quitting  the  university,  he  entered 
into  holy  orders,  and  obtained  immediately  the  lectureship 
of  Trinity  Chapel' in  Conduit-street,  and  was  appointed 
preacher  at  the  private  chapel  at  Roehampton  in  Surrey. 

The  emoluments  of  his  preferment,  however,  being  not 
very  considerable,  be  was  encouraged,  by  the  success  of 
his  first  play,  above  mentioned,  to  have  recourse  to  dra- 
matic writing.     This  step  being  thought  inconsistent  with 
his  profession,  produced  some  warm  remonstrances  from 
a  prelate  on  whom  he  relied  for  preferment,  and  who,  find- 
ing him  resolute,  withdrew  his  patVonage.      Our  author 
greatly  aggravated  his  offence  afterwards  by  publishing  a, 
ridiculous  character,  in  a  poem,  which  was  universally  con- 
sidered as  intended  for  the  bishop.     He  then  proceeded 
with  his  dramatic  productions,  and  was  very  successful, 
until  he  happened  to  offend  certain  play-house  critics,  who 
from  that  time  regularly  attended  the  theatre  to  oppose  any 
production  known  to  be  his,  and  finally  drove  him  from 
the  stage.     About  this  time  he  had  strong  temptations  tp 
employ  his  pen  in  the  whig  interest;  but,  being  in  principle 
a  high  church-man*  he  withstood  these,  although  the  calls 
of  a  family  were  particularly  urgent,  and  all  hopes  of  ad- 
vancement in  the  church  at  an  end.     At  length,  however, 
the  valuable  living  of  Upcerne  was  given  him  by  Mr.  Car- 
rey of  Dorsetshire,  and  his  prospects  otherwise  begari  -to 
brighten,  when  he  died  April  23,  1744,  at  his  lodgings  if* 
Cheyne*walk,  Chelsea,  before  he  had  received  a  twelve* 
month's  revenue  from  his  new  benefice,  or  had  it  in  his 
power  to  make  any  provision  for  his  family.     As  a  dramatic 
writer,  Baker  thinks  he  has  a  right  to  stand  in  a  very  esti- 
mable light ;  yet  the  plays  he  enumerates  are  now  entirely- 
forgotten .      Besides    these,    he    wrote    several    political 
pamphlets,    particularly    one    called    "  Are  these   things 
so  ?"  which  was  much  noticed.     He  was  author  also  of  a 
poem   called  "  Harlequin   Horace,"    a  satire,    occasioned 
by   some  ill  treatment  he  had  received  from    Mr.  Rich, 
the  manager  of  Covent-Garden  theatre;    and  was  like* 
wise  concerned,  together  with  Mr.  Henry  Baker,  F.  R.  S* 
in   a  complete   translation   of  the   comedies  of   Moliere* 
printed  together  with  the  original  French,  and  published; 
by  Mr.  Watts.     After  his  death  was  published  by  sub*, 
scription  a  volume  of  his  "  Sermons,"  the  profits  of  which 
his  widow    applied   to  the   satisfaction   pf  his  creditors* 


/  • 


MILLER.  163 

and  the  payment  of  his  debts ;  an  act  of  juctice  by  which 
she  left  herself  and  family  almost  destitute  of  the  common 
necessaries  of  life. 

.  As  a  man,  says  Baker,  Mr.  Miller's  character  may  partly 
be  deduced  from  the  foregoing  relation  of  his  life.  He  was 
firqi  and  stedfast  in  his  principles,  ardent  in  his  friend- 
ships, and  somewhat  precipitate  in  his  resentments.  In  his 
conversation  he  was  sprightly,  chearful,  and  a  great  mas* 
ter  of  ready  repartee,  till  towards  the  latter  part  of  his 
life,  when  a  depression  of  circumstances  threw  a  gloom 
and  hypochondria  over  his  temper,  which  got  the  better  of 
his  natural  gaiety  and  disposition.  r 

MILLER  (Philip),  a  celebrated  gardener  and  botanist, 
was  born  in  1691.  His  father  was  gardener  to  the  com- 
pany of  apothecaries  at  Chelsea,  and  the  son  succeeded 
him  in  that  office  in  1 722.  His  great  skill  in  cultivation 
was  soon  evinced  in  a  paper,  communicated  by  himself  to 
the  Royal  Society  in  1728,  and  printed  in  the  35th  vo- 
lume of  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  on  "  a  method  of 
raising  some  exotic  seeds,'9  which  had  been  judged  almost 
impossible  to  be  raised  in  England  ;  and  two  years  after- 
wards, he  made  known,  for  the  first  time,  the  present  po- 
pular mode  of  causing  bulbous  plants  to  flower  in  water, 
in  1730  he  published  anonymously,  a  thin  folio,  accom- 
panied with  twenty-one  coloured  plates,  after  the  drawings 
of  Van  Huysum,  entitled  "  A  Catalogue  of  trees,  shrubs, 
plants,  and  flowers,  both  exotic  and  domestic,  which  are 
,  prepared  for  sale  in  the  gardens  near  London."  The  pre- 
face is  signed  by  a  society  of  gardeners,  amongst  whom 
the  name  of  Miller  appears.  The  work  is  much  more  than 
a  mere  catalogue,  the  generic  characters  being  given  in 
English,  and  many  horticultural  and  (Economical  remarks 
sobjoined. 

In  1731  appeared  the  first  edition  of  the  "Gardener's 
Dictionary,"  in  folio,  the  most  celebrated  work  of  its  kind, 
which  has  been  often  translated,  copied,  and  abridged,  and 
may  be  said  to  have  laid  the  foundation  of  all  the  horticul- 
tural taste  and  knowledge  in  Europe.  It  went  through 
eight  editions  in  England,  during  the  life  of  the  author*  the 
last  being  dated  1768.  This  last,  which  forms  a  very  thick 
folio  volume,  follows  the  nomenclature  and  style  of  Lin- 
nseus;  the  earlier  ones  having  been  written  onTonrne* 

1  Biog.  Dram. — Cibber'i  Lives. 
M  2 


164  MILLER. 

Jordan  principles.     A  much  more  ample  editkfrn  has  begft 
published  within  a  few  years,  making  four  large  volumes, 
under  the  care  of  the  rev.  Prof.  Martyn.     In  this  all  the 
modern  botanical  discoveries  are  incorporated   with  the 
substance  of  the  eighth  edition.     Linnaeus  justly  predicted 
"  Non  erit  Lexicon  hortulanbrum,  sed  botanicoruiii,"  and 
it  has  certainly  been  the  means  of  extending  the  taste  for 
scientific  botany,  as  well  as  horticulture.     This  work  had 
been  preceded,  in  1724,  by  "The  Gardener's  and  Florists 
Dictionary,"  2  vols.  8vo,  and  was  soon  followed  by  "The 
Gardener's  Kalender,"  a  single  8vo  volume,  which  has  gone 
through  numerous  editions.     One  of  these,  in  1761,.  was 
first  accompanied  by  "A  short  introduction  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  science  of  Botany,"  with  five  plates,  illustrative  of 
the  Linnaean  system.  Miller  had  been  trained  in  the  schools 
of  Tournefort  and  of  Ray,  and  had  been  personalty  ac- 
quainted with  the  great  English  naturalist,  of  which  he 
was  always  very  proud.  No  wonder,  therefore,  if  he  proved 
ttow  in  submitting  to  the  Linnaean  reformation  and  revolu- 
tion, especially  as  sir  Hans  Sloane,  the  Mecsenas  of  Chel- 
sea, had  not  given  them  the  sanction  of  his  approbation. 
At  length  more  intelligent  advisers,  Dr.  Watson  and  Mr. 
Hudson,    overcame  his   reluctance,   and,  his  eyes  being 
ence  opened,  he  soon  derived  advantage  from  so  rich  a 
source.     He  became  a  correspondent  of  Linnaeus,  and  one 
of  his  warmest  admirers.    Although  it  does  not  appear  that 
he  had  any  direct  communication  with  Micheli,  he  was 
chosen  a  member  of  the  botanical  society  of  Florence, 
which  seems  to  indicate  that  they  were  known  to  each 
other,  and  probably   communicated  through  Sloane  and 
Sherard,  as  neither  was  acquainted  with  the  other's  lan- 
guage.    Miller  maintained  an  extensive  communication  of 
seeds  with  all  parts  of  the  world.     His  friend  Houston  sent 
him  many  rarities  from  the  West  Indies,  and   Miller  but 
too  soon  inherited  the  papers  of  this  ingenious  man,  amongst 
which  were  some  botanical  engravings  on  copper.  Of  these 
he  sent  an  impression  to  Linnseus  ;  and  such  of  them  as 
escaped  accidents,  afterwards   composed  the  "Reliquiae 
Hdustoniance." 

In  1755  our  author  began  to  publish,  in  folio  numbers; 
his  «'  Figures  of  Plants,"  adapted  to  his  dictionary.  These 
extended  to  three  hundred  coloured  plates,  making,  whh 
descriptions  and  remarks,  two  folio  volumes,  and  were 
completed  in   1760.     They  comprehend  many  rare  and 


MILLER.  165 

beautiful  species,  there  exhibited  for  the  first  time.  The 
commendable  design  of  the  writer  was  to  give  one  or  more 
of  the  species  of  eaeh  known  genus,  all  from  living  plants; 
which  as  far  as  possible  he  accomplished.  His  plates  have 
more  botanical  dissections  than  any  that  had  previously  ap- 
peared in  this  country.  'Miller  was  a  fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society,  and  enriched  its  Transactions  with  several  papers. 
The  most  numerous  of  these  were  catalogues  of  the  annual 
collections  of  fifty  plants,  which  were  required  to  be  sent 
fcp  that  learned  body,  from  Chelsea  garden,  by  the  rules  of 
its  foundation.  These  collections  are  preserved  in  the 
British  Museum,  and  are  occasionally  resorted  to  for  cri- 
tical inquiries  in  botany.  He  wrote  also  on  the  poison  ash, 
or  Taxtcodcndrum,  of  America,  which  he  believed  to  be 
the  Japanese  varnish  tree  of  Ksempfer  ;  a  position  contro- 
verted by  Mr.  Ellis,  who  appears  to  have  been  in  tbe  right, 
and  this  may  account  for  a  certain  degree  of  ill  humour 
betrayed  by  Mr.  Miller  in  the  course  of  the  dispute. 

Miller  continued  to  attend  to  his  duties  and  his  favourite 
pursuits  to  an  advanced  age,  but  was  obliged  at  length,  by 
his  infirmities,  to  resign  tbe  charge  of  the  garden.  He 
died  soon  after,  at  Chelsea,  December  18,  1771,  in  his 
eighty-first  year,  and  was  interred  in  tbe  burying-ground 
iir  the  King's  road,  with  his  wife,  by  whom  he  had,  if  we 
mistake  not,  several  children.  One  of  them,  Mr.  Charles 
Miller,  who  spent  some  time  in  the  East  Indies,  where  he 
acquired  a  handsome  fortune,  made  some  experiments  on 
the  cultivation  of  wheat,  an  account  of  which  was  given  by 
Dr.  Watson  to  the  Royal  Society,  They  were  intended  to 
shew  the  wonderful  produce  to  be  obtained  by  division  and 
transplantation,  and  have  often  been  repeated.  An  ac- 
count of  the  island  of  Sumatra,  by  Mr.  C.  Miller,  is  print- 
ed in  vol.  LXV1II.  of  the  Philosophical  Transactions.  The 
sister  <©f  Philip  Miller  married.  Ebret,  and  left  on?  son. 
In  the  course  of  his  residence -at  Chelsea,  Miller  collected, 
principally  from  <the  garden,  an  ample  herbarium,  which 
was  purchased  by  sir  Joseph  Banks.1 

MILLER  (Tbomas),  a.  very  worthy  and  intelligent 
bookseller,  and  well  known  to  men  of  literary  curiosity  for 
upwards  of  half  a  century,  at  his  residence  at  Bungay  in 
Suffolk,  was  born  at  Norwich,  Aug.  14,  1752..  He  was 
apprenticed  'to  a  grocer,  but  his  fondness  for  reading  in- 

* 

>  Pultenejr'sBoL.  Sketches. — Kees's  Cyclopaedia  by  Sir  J.  E.  Smith. 


166  MILLER. 

duced  him,  on  commencing  business  for  himself,  to  appoiv 
tion  part  of  bis  shop  for  the  bookselling  business,  which  at 
length  engrossed  the  whole  of. his  attention,  time,  and  ca- 
pital;  and  for  many  years  he  enlarged  his  stock  so  .as  to 
make  it  an  object  of  importance  with  collectors  in  all  parts 
of  the  kingdom,  who  were  not  more  pleased  with,  his  judi- 
cious selection  of  copies,  than  tbe  integrity  with  which  he 
transacted  business*  About  1782  he  published  a  catalogue 
of  his  collection  of  books,  engrav.ed  portraits,  and  coins, 
which  for.  interest  and  value  exceeded  at  that  time  any 
other  country  collection,  except,  perhaps,  that  of  tbe  late 
Mr.  Edwards  of  Halifax.  Mr.  Miller  was  a  great  reader, 
and,  possessing  an  excellent  memory,  he  acquired  that  fund 
of  general  knowledge,  particularly  of  literary  history,' 
which  not  only  rendered  him  an  instructive  and  entertain- 
ing companion,  but  gave  a  considerable  value  to  his  opi- 
nions of  books,  when  consulted  by  his  learned  customers.' 
At  a  period  of  life,  when  unfortunately  he  was  too  far  ad- 
vanced for  such  an  undertaking,  he  projected  a  history. of 
his  native  county,  Suffolk,  and  circulated'  a  well-written: 
prospectus  of  his  plan.  His  habits  of  industrious  research, 
and  natural  fondness  for  investigating  topographical  anti- 
quities, would  have  enabled  him  to  render  this  a  valuable 
contribution  to  our  stock  of  county  histories.;  but,  inde- 
pendent of  bis  age,  his  eye-sight  failed  him  soon  after  he 
had  made  his  design  known,  and  be  was  obliged  to  relin- 
quish it.  In  1799  he  became  quite  blind,  but  continued 
in  business  until  his  death,  July  25,  1804.  There  is  a  very 
fine  private  .portrait  of  Mr.  Miller,  engraved  at  the  expence 
of  his  affectionate  son,  tbe  very  eminent  bookseller,  in  Al- 
bemarle-street,  who  lately  retired  from  business,  carrying? 
with  him  the  high  esteem  and  respect'  of  his  numerous 
friends  and  brethren.  In  1795,  when  it  became  a  fashion 
among  tradesmen  in  tbe  country  to  circulate  provincial 
half-pennies,  Mr.  Miller  sen.  had  a  die  cast ;  but  an  acci- 
dent happening  to  one  of  the  blocks,  when  only  twenty- 
three  pieces  were  struck  off,  he,  like  a  true  antiquary,  de-. 
clined  having  a  fresh  one  made.  This  coin  (which  is  very 
finely  engraved,  and  bears  a  strong  profile. likeness  of  him* 
self)  is  known  to  collectors  by  the  name  of  "  The  Miller 
half- penny."  He  was  extremely  careful  into  whose  hands 
the  impressions  went ;  and  they  are  now  become  so  rare  a%» 
to  produce  at  sales  from  three  to  five  guineas.1 

1  Nichols's  Bowyer. — Private  information. 


MILLER.  167 

MILLER  (Edward),  Mus.  D.  younger  brother  of  the 
preceding,  was  apprenticed  to  his  father's  business,   that 
of  a  pariour,  in  Norwich,  but  his  dislike  of  the  occupation 
became  so  great,  that  he  absconded,  and  came  to  London. 
Soon  afterwards  he  placed  himself  under  the  tuition  of  the 
celebrated  Dr.  Burney,  with  whom  be  continued  in  habits 
of  intimacy  and  correspondence  throughout  bis  life.     In 
.1756  he  went  to  reside  at  Doncaster  in  Yorkshire,  where 
lie  followed  his  profession  with  great  reputation,  and  was 
organist  of  the  church  fifty -one  years.     He  took  his  de- 
gree of  doctor  of  music  at  Cambridge  in  1786.     Dr.  Mil- 
ler's company  was  much  sought  after,  as  he  was  an  agree- 
able, well-bred  man,    and  his  conversation  abounded  in 
anecdote  and  apt  quotation*     His  only  failing  was  an  occa- 
sional absence  of  mind,  which  led  him  into  several  ludi- 
crous mistakes  that  will  long  be  renlembered  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Doncaster., 

The  latter  years  of  his  life  were  clouded  by  domestic 
calamities.  He  had  a  promising  family  of  three  daughters, 
wboall  died  of  consumptive  complaints  when  they  attained 
the  age  of  maturity ;  of  his  two  sons,  one  was  lost  by  ship- 
wreck on-  board  the  Halsewell  Indiaman.  His  only  sur- 
viving son  is  a  popular  preacher  among  the  methodists, 
with  whom  his  talents,  zeal,  piety,  and  charity,  have  made 
him  deservedly  beloved.  Dr.  Miller  died  at  Doncaster, 
Sept.  12,  1807.    / 

I>r.  Miller's  professional  knowledge  was  very  extensive, 
particularly  in  the  theory  of  music ;  and  his  publications 
have  been  much  valued.  Among  these  are  "The  Insti- 
tutes of  Mdsic,"  intended  to  teach  the  ground-work  of  the 
science  ;  and  "The  Elements  of  Thorough  Bass  and  Com- 
position.*9 But  the  most  popular  of  his  works  was  the  * 
"Psalms  of  David,"  set  to  music  and  arranged  for  every 
Sunday  throughout  the  year.  This,  which  was  expressly 
intended  for  the  use  of  churches  and  chapels,  met  with  very 
.great  encouragement  from  ail  ranks  of  the  clergy,  and  the 
subscription, '  before  publication,  amounted  to  near  five 
thousand  copies.  It  is  now  regularly  used  in  a  great  pro- 
portion of  places  of  public  worship*  Dr.  Miller  also  was 
somewhat  of  a  poet,  and '  somewhat  of  an  antiquary.  His 
iirct  attempt  in  the  former  character  was  entitled  "The 
Tears  of  Yorkshire,'  on  the  death  of  the  most  noble  tha 
Marquis  of  Rockingham."  He  informs  us  himself,  that  so 
much  was  the  marquis  beloved,  that  600  copies  of  this  lite- 


16*  MILLER. 

rary  trifle  were  sold  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours,  on  the 
jday  of  his  interment  in  York  minster.  As  an  antiquary  fee 
•published,  two  years  before  his  death,  "  The  History  and 
Antiquities  of  Doncaster,"  4to,  in  which  he  was  assisted 
•by  many  learned  friends  in  that  neighbourhood  ;  but  even 
with  their  help  it  bears  many  marks  of  advanced  years  attd 
infirmities.1 

MILLES  (Jeremiah),  an  English  divine  and  antiquary, 
-was  the  grandson  of  the  rev.  Isaac  Milles,  rector  of  High 
-Clear  in  Hampshire,  probably  by  his  second  son  Jeremiah. 
His  eldest  sou  was  Dr.  Thomas  Milles,  bishop  of  Waterford 
and  Liamore,  of  whom  it  may  be  necessary  (to  give  some 
account,  as  Mr.  Harris  the  editor  and  oontinuator  of  Wave- 
has  admitted  a  few  mistakes,  calling  trim  Mills,  and  stag- 
ing that  he  was  the  son  of  Joseph  Mills.    He  was  educated 
at  Wadham  college,  Oxford,  where  be  took  the  degree  of 
B.  A.  in. 1692,  and  that  of  M.  A.  in  1695.    He  was ordaiiftedl 
-by  bishop  Hough.     In  1704  he  took  the  degree  .of  B.  D. 
and  in  1706  was  appointed  Greek  professor  of  Oxford.     In 
1707  he  attended  the  earl  of  Pembroke,  lord  l«ewteoant  uf 
Ireland,  into  that  kingdom,  and  by  him  was  promoted  to 
the  see  of  Waterford  and  Lismore.     He  died  at  Waterfowl 
May  13,  1740.     He  published  a  few  controversial  traets, 
enumerated  by  Harris,  but  is  best  known* by  bis  valuable 
edition  of  the  works  of  St.  Cyril,  published  at  Oxford  ia 
1703,  folio. 

Bishop  Milles  left  his  fortune  to  his  nephew,  Jeremiah, 
who  was  born  in  17 14,  and  educated  at  Eton  school, 
he  entered  of  Queen's  college,  Oxford,  as  a  fventh 
-commoner,  and  took  his  degrees  of  M.  A.  in  1735,  mad  B. 
and  D.  D.  in  1 747,  on  which  occasion  he  went  out  grand 
.compounder.  He  was  collated  by  his  uncle  to  a  prebend 
in  the  cathedral  of  Waterford,  and  to  a  living  near  that 
city,  which  he  held  but  a  short  time,  choosing  to  reside  in 
England-  Here  be  married  Edith,  a  daughter  of  archbishop 
Potter,  by  whose  interest  he  obtained  the  naked  flectoaet 
of  St.  Edmund  the  King  and  St.  Nicholas  Aeon  in  Loo** 
hard-street,  with  that  of  Merstham,  Surrey,  and  the  sme~ 
cure  rectory  of  West  Terring,  in  Susses.  To  Mervthan* 
he  was  inducted  in  1745.  From,  the  chaatorship  of  Exeter 
he  was  promoted  to  the  deanery  of  that  cathedral,  in  17-62, 
pn  the  advancement  of  Dr.  Ly  t&ekon  to  the  see  of  Carlisle, 

1  Gent.  Mag.  vol.  LXXVII. — Private  information. 


MILLE  S.  16» 

mikom  he  also  succeeded  as  president  of  the  society  of 
antiquaries  in  1765.     He  had  been  chosen  a  fellow  of  this 
society  m  1741,  aad  of  the  Royal  Society  in  1742.     His  * 
Speech,  on  taking  upon  him  the.  office  of  president  of  the 
Society  of  Antiquaries,  was  prefixed  to  the  first  volume  of 
tbe  Arcbaeologia.     In  other  volumes  of  that  work  are  some 
papers  communicated  by  him,  one  of  which,   "  Observa- 
tions on. the  Wardrobe  Account  for  the  year  1483,  where- 
in are  contained  the  deliveries  made  for  the  coronation  of 
king  .Richard  ML  and  some  other  particulars  relative  to  the 
bistjory*"  was  answered  by  Mr.  Walpole,  afterwards  lord 
Orlbrd,  in  a  paper  or  e»say,  very  characteristic  of  his  lord* 
ship's  ingenuity  and  haughty  petulance.    In  the  early  part 
of  4a*9  lite,  Dr.  Milles  had  made  ample  collections  for  a 
history  of  Devonshire,  which  are  noticed  by  Mr.  Gough  in 
bis  Typography.     He  was  also  engaged  iu  illustrating  the 
Itaftfrsb  eoioage,  and  the  Domesday  Survey,  on  both  which 
subjects,  it  is  thought,  he  left  much  valuable  matter.     His 
wars*  attempt  was  to  vindicate  the  authenticity  of  Rowley's 
poems,  in  an  edition  which  he  printed  jn  1782,  4to«   After 
3*bat  Tyrwhitt  and  Wartoh  had  advanced  on  this  subject,  a 
grave  answer  to  this  was  not  necessary ;  but  it  was  the 
writer's  naisforttme  to  draw  upon  himself  the  wicked  wit 
of  the  author  of  "  An  Archaeological  Epistle,"  and  the  more 
wicked  irony  of  George  Steevens  in  the  St  James's  Chro* 
niele*     The  dean  died  Feb.  13,  1784,  and  was  buried  in 
the  church  of  St.  Edmund,  which,  as  well  as  his  other  pre* 
ferments,  he  retained  until  his  death,,  with  the  exception 
of  the  rectory  of  West  Terring,  which  he  resigned  to  his 
son  Richard.     His  character  is;  very  justly  recorded  on  his 
monument,  as  one  conspicuous  for  the  variety  and  extent 
of  Ms  knowledge,  and  for  unremitted  zeal  and  activity  in 
those  stations  to  which  his  merit  had  raised  him;  nor  was 
he  in  private  life  less  distinguished  for  sweetness  of  dispo- 
sition, piety,  and  integrity.1 

.  MILLOT  (Clauo£  Francis  Xavier),  a  late  French  his* 
toi&an,  was  born  at  fiesanc/ui,  in  March  1726,  and  belong- 
ed,: for  some  time,  .to  the  order  of  Jesuits.  He  was  one  of 
those  who  were  appointed  to  preach,  and  oontinued  so  to 
4o after  ibe  had  quitted  that. society.  But  the  weakness  of 
his  vojce, .  his  timidity,  and  the  embarrassed  manner  of  his 

J  Nichols's  Bowyer. — Lord  Oi  ford's  Works,  vol.  II. — Life  of  the  Rev.  Isaat 
Milles,  by  bishop  Milles,  1721,  8vo.— Ware's  Irelaud  by  Harris. 


17*  MIL  N  E  R. 

tio,"  &c.  Lond.  1673,  4to.  Dr.  Castel,  the  Arabian  pro- 
fessor,  called  this  "  a  most  excellent  essay,  wherein  the 
author  shewed  incredible  reading  and  diligence,  in  perusing 
so  many  copies,  versions,  and  various  lections,  with  tb« 
best  interpreters  of  sacred  writ"  2.  "  A  collection  .of  the 
Church  Hi&iiory  of  Palestine,  from  the  birth  of  Christ,  te 
the  beginning  of  the  empire  of  Diocletian,"  Lond.  16&8* 
4to.  3.  "  A  short  Dissertation  .concerning  the  foar  last 
Kings,  of  Judah,"  Lond.  1689,  4to.  This  was  occasioned 
by  Joseph  Scaliger'a  "  Judicium  de  Thesi  Chronologtca," 
&c.  4.  "  De  Nethinim  sive  Netbinaeis,  &c.  et  de  iis  qui 
se  Corban  -Deo  nominabant,  disputatiuncula,  adversu* 
Steuch.  Eugubinum,  Card.  Baronium,"  &c.  Cambi  1690, 
4to.  5.  "  An  Answer  to  the  vindication  of  a  Letter  frona 
a  person  of  quality  in  the  North,  concerning  the  profcs~ 
sion  of  John,  late  bishop  of  Chichester,"  Lond.  1690,  4to* 
$•"  A  Defence  of  the  Profession  of  John  (Lake)  lord  hishop 
0f  Chichester,  made  upon  his  death-bed,  concerning  paa- 
aive  obedience,  and  the  new.  oaths ;  with  some  passages  of 
his  lordship's  life,0  Load.  1690,  4to.  7.  "  A  Defence  of 
archbishop  Usher  against  Dr.  Cary  and  Dr.  Is.  Vossius, 
with  an  Introduction  concerning  the  uncertainty  of  Chro- 
nology, and  an  Appendix  touching  the  signification  of -the 
words,  &c.  as  ako  the  men  of  the  great  Synagogue,"  iGamb. 
1694,  £vo.  8.  «  A  Discourse  of  Conscience,  &c.  with  *e- 
flexions  upon  the  author  of  Christianity  jnot  mysterious*?  &c« 
Lond.  16$7,  8vo.  9,  tfA  View  of  the  Dissertation  upon 
the  epistles  of  Fhalaris,  Themistocles,  &c.  lately  ^published 
by  the  rev.  Dr.  Bentley.  Also,  of  the  (examination  of  that 
Dissertation  by  the  hon.  Mr.  Boyle,"  Aid.  14>93,  8vp.  IO. 
li  A  brief  Examination  of  some  .passages  in  the  Chronoilo- 
gical  part  of  a  Letter  written  to  Dr.  BherJock,  in  his  viudi- 
cation.     la  a  letter  to  a  friend."     11.  "A  further  Exatm-* 

,  aation  of  the  Chronological  part  of  that  Letter.  In  a  se** 
eond  letter  to  a  friend."     1 2.  "  An  Account  of  Mr.  Locke'* 

.  religion,  out  of  bis  own  writings,  and  in  his  own  words  2 
together  wtth  observations,  and  a  two-fold  .  appendix*" 
Lond.  1700,  8vo.  li.  "  Animadversiorn*  upon  Jdons.  Le 
Clerc'*  Reflections  upon  our  Saviour  and  4ms*  Apostles,  Ac 
primitive  fathers,  &c."  Camb.  1702;  He  leftaleo  saadral 
manuscript?  .enumerated  in  our  principal  authoiiky,  t  on 
subjects  x>f  chronology,  biblical  criticism,  .fiLC.1   ^•■-   ■>■.■> 

1  Watson's  Halifax.— Tboresby'B  iVicam  Ileodensis,  p.  114,  &c— Wilford's 
Memorials. 


U  I  L  N  £  B.  m 

MILNER  (Joseph),  a  pious  and  learned  divine  and  ec- 
clesiastical historian,    was  born  ki  the  neighbourhood  of 
Leeds  in  Yorkshire,  Jan.  2,  1744,  and  was  educated  at  the 
grammar  school  of  his  native  place,  where  he  made  great 
proficiency  in  Greek  and  Latin,  in  which  be  was  assisted 
bj  &  memory  of  such  uncommon  powers,  that  his  triogr** 
piher,  the  present  dean  of  Carlisle,  says  that  he  never  saw 
bis  equal,  among  the  numerous  persons  of  science  and  lite* 
future  with  whom  he  has  been  acquainted.    This  faculty 
which  Mr.  Milner  possessed,  without  any  visible  decay, 
during  the  whole  of  his  life,  gained  him  no  little  reputa- 
tion at  school,  where  his  master,  the  rev.  Mr.  Moore,  often 
availed  himself  of  his  memory  in  cases  of  history  and  my- 
thology, and-  used  to  say,  "  Milner  is  more  easily  con- 
sulted than  the  Dictionaries  or  the  Pantheon*  and  he  is 
quite  as  much  to  be  relied  on."     Moore,  indeed,  told  so 
many  and  almost  incredible  stories  of  his  memory,  that  the 
rev*  Mr.  Murgatroyd,    a  very  respectable  clergyman,  a* 
that  time  minister  of  St.  John's  cburch  in  Leeds,  express- 
ed some  suspicion  of  exaggeration.    Mr.  Moore  was  a  man 
of  the  strictest  veracity,  but  of  a  warm  temper.     He  in- 
stantly offered  to  give  satisfactory  proof  of  Us  assertions 
"  Milner,"  said  he,  "  shall  go  to  church  next  Sunday,  and 
without  taking  a  single  note  at  the  time,  shall  write  down 
your  sermon  afterward.     Will  you  permit  us  to  compare 
what  he  writes  with  what  you  preach  ?'*     Mr.  Murgatroyd 
accepted- the  proposal  with  pleasure,  and  was  often  beard 
to  express  his  astonishment  at  the  event  of  this  trial  of 
memory.     "  The  lad,"  said  he,  "  has  not  omitted  a  single 
thought  or  sentiment  in  the  whole  sermon ;  and  frequently 
he  has  got  the  very  words  for  a  long  way  together." 

About  she  age  of  thirteen,  there  were  few  of  young  Mil* 
ner's  years  equally  skilled  in  Latin  and  Greek,  and  none 
who  were  to  be  compared  to  him  in  the  accurate  and  ex- 
tensive knowledge  of  ancient  history.  His  love  of  tbtf 
study  of  history  shewed  itself  as  soon  as  ever  he  could  read, 
and  he  employed  his  leisure  hours  in  reading,  as  a  weakly 
constitution,  and  early  disposition  to  asthma,  rendered  him 
utterly  ificapabte  of  mixing  with  his  schoolfellows  in  theift 
plays  and  diversions.  This  passion  for  the  study  of  history 
continued  strong  for  many  years,  and  was  his  favourite 
amusement  and  relaxation  to  the  last  With  such  acquire- 
ments, at  so  early  an  age,  it  cannot  be  thought  wonderful 
if  while  among  bis  poorer  and  more  ignorant  neighbours. 


IT*  MILNER. 

he  went  by  the  name  of  the  "  learned  lad,"  his  school- 
master should  feel  some  degree  of  vanity  in  producing 
such  a  scholar;  but  his  regard. for  him  was  more  sincere, 
than  mere  vanity  could  have  produced,  and  Mr.  Moore 
now  meditated  in  what  way  he  could  be  able  to  send  his 
pupil  to  the  university,  where  talents  like  his  might  have  ft 
wider  range,  and  lead  to  the  honours  he  merited.  In  this 
benevolent  plan  be  seemed  at  first  to  be  obstructed  by  the 
death  of  Mr.  Milner' s  father,  who  had  been  unsuccessful 
\n  business,  and  had  little  to  spare  from -the  necessary  de- 
mands of  his  family*;  but  this  event  seemed  rather  to 
quicken  Mr.  Moore's  zeal  in  favour  of  bis  pupil,  and  us  the 
latter. bad  begun  to  teach  grown-up  children  of  both  sexes, 
in  some  opulent  families  in  Leeds,  &c.  there  seemed  a  ge- 
neral disposition  to  forward  the  plan  of  sending  him  to  the 
university*  At  the  moment  when  the  purses  of  the  wealthy 
were  ready  to  be  opened  in  favour  of  this  scheme,  the  tutor 
of  Catherine  hall,  Cambridge,  an  old  acquaintance  of  Mr. 
Moore,  wrote  to  him  to  the  following  effect :  "The  office 
of  Chapel-clerk  w.ith  us  will  soon  be  vacant ;  and  if  you 
have  any  clever  lad,  who.  is  not  very  rich,  and  whom  y on 
would  wish  to  assist,  send  him  to  us."  Mr.  Moore  instantly 
communicated  this  proposal  to  several  of  the  liberal  gen-* 
tlemen  above  alluded  to,,  who  all  cheerfully  concurred  in 
it,  and  young  Milner  was  thus  enabled  to  go  to  Catherine* 
hall  in  1762,.  in  his  eighteenth  year. 

Here  his  biographerexpresses  his  surprise  that  Mr.  Mil* 
ner  should  have  obtained  so  high  a  situation  as  he  did  in 
the  mathematical  and  philosophical  list  of  honours;  and  the 
more  so,  as  he  most  certainly  had  no  peculiar  relish  for 
those  studies.  He  was  the  third  senior  optime ;  but,  per- 
haps be  applied  to  these  studies  in  order  to  be  qualified  for 
the  honours  bestowed  on  classical  learning,  in  which  he 
was  more  familiar.  The  chancellor's  two  gold  medals  for 
the  best  proficients  in  classical  learning,  were  aunounced, 
and  none  but  senior  optimes  could  be  candidates.  He  be- 
came, therefore,  ii>  1766,  in  which  year  be  took  his  bache- 
lor's degree,  one  of  a  list  of  candidates  uncommonly  nu- 
merous and  able,  and  the  two  prizes  were  adjudged  to  Dn 

*  Old  Mr.  Milner  used  to  tell  the     seph,  instead  of  a  joint  of  meat  for  the 
tallowing  anecdote  with  a  good  deal     succeeding  Sunday's  dinner.     It 


ef  humour:    <<  Once   on  a  Saturday     too  true/1  added  be,  "  that  1  could  no* 
evening,  I  surprised  my  wife,  by  send- .    send  both  '."—.Life  bj  pr.  Milner. 
ing  home  a  Greek  book  for  my  son  Jo- 


MILN.EB.  17S 

Law,  tbe  late  bishop,  of  Elphin,  and  to  Joseph  Milner. 
Several  members  of  tbe  university  are  still  alive,  who  well 
remember  the.  general  surprise  caused  by  the  success  of  the 
latter;  and  how  his  humorous  and  spirited  translations  of 
Terence  and  Plutarch,  shown  by  tbe  examiners  to  their 
friends,  were  handed  about  through  the  colleges,  and  ex- 
cited general  admiration. 

.  He  would  have  now  gladly  remained  at  the  university, 
and  increased  bis  literary  reputation,  so  happily  begun, 
but  there  was  no  opportunity  of  electing  him  fellow,  at  Ca- 
therine-hall, and  he  was  already  somewhat  in  debt.  Du- 
ring bis  first  year's  residence  at  Cambridge,  he  had  lost 
by  a  premature  death,  his  affectionate  schoolmaster,  Mr. 
Moore;  and  the  management  of  his  slender,  finances  was 
transferred  from  the  hands  of  Mr.  Moore  to  those  of  a  care- 
less and  dissipated  person.  Mr.  Milner  was  not  old  enough 
for  deacon's  orders,  and  it  became  absolutely  necessary 
that  he  should  look  out  for  some  employment.  He  accord- 
ingly became  assistant  in  a  school,  and  afterwards  in  the 
cure  of  his  church,  to  the  rev.  Mr.  Atkinson  of  Thorp-Arch, 
near  Tad  caster.  Here,  we  are  told,  he  completed  an 
epic  poem,  begun  at  Catherine- hall,  entitled  "  Davideis," 
or  Satan's  various  attempts  to  defeat  the  purpose  of  the 
Almighty,  who  had  promised  that  a  Saviour  of  the  world 
should  spring  from  king  David.  The  MS.  is  still  in  exist- 
ence. His  biographer  pronounces  it  "  a  fine  monument 
of  the  author's  learning,  taste,  genius,  and  exuberant  ima- 
gination." He  submitted  it  to  Dr.  Hurd,  who  sent  him  a 
very  complimentary  letter;  but  he  laid  the  poem  aside, 
and  it  has  not  been  thought  proper  to  publish  it. 

When  he  had  obtained  deacon's  orders,  he  applied  for 
the  place  of  head-master  of  the  grammar-school  at  Hull, 
aud  having  obtained  it,  was  soon  after  chosen  afternoon 
lecturer  in  the  principal  church  in  that  town.  Under  his 
auspices,  the  school,  which  .had  decayed  through  the  neg- 
ligence of  his  .immediate  predecessors,  soon  acquired  ami 
retained  very  considerable  celebrity,  and  as  the  master's 
salary  rose  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  scholars,  hit 
income  now,  on  the  whole,  amounted  to  upwards  of  200/. 
a  year.  .  The  first  use  he  made  of  this  great  change  of  cir- 
cumstances was  to  discharge  those  duties  that  arose  from 
the  situation  of  his  father's  family.  His  pious  affection  in- 
stantly led  him  to  invite  his  mother  (then  living  at  Leeds 
in  poverty)  to  Hull,  where  she  became  the  manager  of  hit 


176  M1LNEH 

boose.  He  also  sent  for  two  indigent  orphans,  the  children 
of  his  eldest  brother,  and  took  effectual  care  of  their  edu- 
cation. At  this  time  his  youngest  brother,  Isaac,  whose 
prospects  of  advancement  in  learning  were  ruined  by  his. 
father's  death,  was  now  humbly  employed  in  the  wool  led 
manufactory  at  Leeds.  From  this  situation  his  brother  Jo* 
seph  instantly  removed  him,  and  employed  him  aa  his  as- 
sistant in  teaching  the  lower  boys  of  his  crowded  school  at 
Hull.  By  bis  brother's  means  also,  he  was  sent  to  Queer*'* 
college,  Cambridge,  in  1770,  of  which  be  is  now  master, 
professor  of  mathematics,  and  dean  of  Carlisle.  Of  the 
affection  between  those  brothers,  the  survivor  thus  speaks, 
"  Perhaps  no  two  brothers  were  ever  more  closely  bound 
to  each  other.  Isaac,  in  particular,  remembers  no  earthly 
thing  without  being  able  to  connect  it,  in  some  way,  ten- 
derly with  his  brother  Joseph.  During  all  his  life  be  has 
constantly  aimed  at  enjoying  his  company  as  orach  as  cir- 
cumstances permitted.  The  dissolution  of  such  a  connec- 
tion could  not  take  place  without  being  severely  feh  by 
the  survivor.  No  separation  was  ever  more  bitter  and 
afflicting ;  with  a  constitution  long  shattered  by  disease,  he 
never  expects  to  recover  from  that  wound." 

Mr.  Milner's  labours  as  a  preacher  were  not  confined  to 
the  town  of  Hull.  He  was  curate  for  upwards  of  seventeen 
years,  of  North  Ferriby,  about  nine  miles  from  Hull,  and 
afterwards  vicar  of  the  place.  At  both  he  became  a  highly 
popular  and  successful  preacher,  but  for  some  yeats,  met 
with  considerable  opposition  from  the  upper  classes,  for 
his  supposed  tendency  towards  method  ism.  His  sentiments 
and  mode  of  preaching  had  in  fact  undergone  a  change, 
which  produced  this  suspicion,  for  the  causes  and  conse- 
quences of  which  we  must  refer  to  his  biographer.  It  may 
be  sufficient  here  to  notice,  that  he  at  length  regained  his. 
credit  by  a  steady,  upright,  presevering,  and  disinterested 
conduct,  and  just  before  his  death,  the  mayor  and  corpo- 
ration of  Hull,  almost  unanimously,  chose  him  vicar  of  the 
Holy  Trinity  church,  on  the  decease  of  the  rev.  T.  Clarke*' 
Mr.  Milner  died  Nov.  15,  1797,  in  the  fifty- fourth  year  of 
his  age,  and  perhaps  the  loss  of  no  man  in  that  place  taut 
ever  been  lamented  with  more  general  or  unfeigned  regret*? 
His  scholars,  almost  without  exception,  loved  and  revered 
him.  Several  gentlemen,  who  had  been  his  pupils  many* 
years  before,  shewed  a  sincere  regard  for  their  instructor,  by 
erecting  at  their  oivn  expence,  an  elegant  monument  (by 
Bacon)  to  his  memory  in  the  high  church  of  Hull. 


MILNEH  177 

Mr.  Milner's  principal  publications  are,  1.  u  Some  pas- 
sages in  the  Life  of  William  Howard,9'  which  has  gonfe 
through  several  editions ;  2.  An  Answer  to  Gibbon's  At- 
tack op  Christianity ;  3.  "  Essays  on  the  Influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit."  But  his  principal  work  is  his  ecclesiastical 
history,  under  the  title  of  a  "  History  of  the  Church  of 
.  Christ/*  of  which  he  lived  to  complete  three  volumes, 
which  reach  to  the  thirteenth  century.  A  fourth  volume, 
in  two  parts,  has  since  been  edited  from  his  MSS.  by  his 
brother  Dr.  Isaac  Milner,  reaching  to  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, and  a  farther  continuation  may  be  expected  from  the 
same  pen.  Since  his  death  also,  two  volumes  of  his  prac- 
tical sermons  have  been  published,  with  a  life  of  the  au- 
thor by  his  brother,  from  which  we  have  selected  the  above 
particulars.  To  his  "  History  of  the  Church,"  we  have 
often  referred  in  these  volumes,  as  it  appears  to  us  of  more 
authority  in  many  respects  than  that  of  Mosheim ;  and 
whatever  difference  of  opinion  there  may  be  as  to  the  view 
Mr.  Milner  takes  of  the  progress  of  religion,  he  appears  to 
have  read  more  and  penetrated  deeper  into  the  history, 
principles,  and  writings  of  the  fathers  and  reformers,  than 
any  preceding  English  historian. ' 

MILTON  (John),  the  most  illustrious  of  English  poets, 
was  by  birth  a  gentleman,  descended  from  the  proprietors 
of  Milton,  near  Thame  in  Oxfordshire,  one  of  whom  for- 
feited bia  estate  in  the  contests  between  the  houses  of 
York  and  Lancaster.  His  grand-father  was  under-ranger 
off  the  forest  of  Shotover  in  Oxfordshire,  and  being  a  zea- 
lous Roman  catholic,  disinherited  his  son,  of  the  same 
name,  for  becoming  a  protestant.  This  son,  when  thus 
deprived  of  the  family  property,  was  a  student  at  Christ- 
church,  Oxford,  but  was  now  obliged  to  quit  his  studies, 
and  going  to  London  became  a  scrivener.  That  he  retained 
bis  classical  knowledge  appears  from  his  son  addressing 
him  in  one  of  his  most  elaborate  Latin  poems ;  he  was  also 
a  great  proficient  in  mtfsic,;  a  voluminous  composer,  and, 
in  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Burney,  "  equal  in  science,  if  not 
genius,  to  the  best  musicians  of  his  age."  He  married  a 
lady  of  the  name  of  Custon,  of  a  Welsh  family.  By  her 
he  had  two  sons,  John  the  poet,  Christopher,  and  Anne. 
Anne  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Edward  Phillips,  a  native  of 
Shrewsbury,  who  was  secondary  to  the  crown  office  in 

1  Life,  as  above. 

Vol.  XXII.  N 


it*  Mi  IT  O.^: 

chancery.  Christopher,  applying  himself  tQ  the  study  of 
the  law,  became  a,  bencher  of  the  Inner  Teqaple,  wfflfr 
knighted  at  a  very  advanced  period,  of  life,  apd  raised  by. 
James  II.  first  to  be  a  baron  of  the;  Exchequer,  and  after- 
wards one  of  the  judges  of  the  Common-pleas.  .  During 
the  rebellion  he  adhered  to  the  rpyal  cause,  and  effected 
his  composition  with  the  republicans  by  the  interest  of  Jti& 
brother*  In  his  old  age  he  retired  from  the  fatigues  of 
business,  and  closed,  in  the  country.,  a  life  of  study  ar>4 
devotion. 

*  *  * 

John  Milton  was  bom  at  bis  father's,  house  in  Pread-^ 
street,  Cheapside,  Dec.  9,  1608.  From  bis  earl^st  ye#r% 
has.  father  appears  to  have  discerned  and  with  great  anxiejy 
cultivated  bis  talents.  He  tells,  us  bipiself  that  his  father 
destined  him  when  he  was  yet  a  child  to  th$  study  of  polite 
literature,  and  so  eagerly  did  be  apply,  that  frofq  bi§ 
twelfth  year,  he  seldom  quitted  bis  studies  tjll  .the  paiddJ% 
of  the  night;  this,  however,  be  adds,  proved  jibe  @rs£ 
cause  of  the  ruin  of  his  eyes,  in  addition  to  the  fl^tu^J 
weakness  of  which,  he  was  afflicted  with  frpqijept  head- 
acb*.  Some  part  of  his  early  education  wad  cptp%>ute4  U* 
the  care  of  Mr.  Thomas  Young,  ft  puritap  miniver,  ^uf^ 
he  was  also  placed  for  soma  Iwe  at  jSu  Paul's  schepl* .  tfeer* 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Ale*apder  GUI,  with  whofa  s^r 
Alexander,  Milton  seeps  to  have  contract  *  WW»  WG? 
lasting  friendship.  In  February  16?5,  when  ip  big  s§vf&T 
teentb  year,  he  was  entered  a  pepsipuer  at  Chrisf'^^Hag^^ 
Cambridge,  where  be  bad  for  his.  tijtor  Mr.  WlUvRR  CfeWr. 
pel,  afterwards  bishop  of  Corfc  and  Ross.  Qf  b$  cqncjupt 
and  the  treatment  which  he  experience*!  in  {m  colleger 
much  has  been  made  tbe  «u*bjert  <*f  dispgfe-  Th^Jftttt 
serious  charge  brought  against  Uisp  its  thfrt.be  was  expftyed* 
for  which  there  seetps.  no,  ceaspnable  foundation  wh^tev^y. 
The  register  of  tbe  college  peeves,  that  kfl  FeguUriy  k$R£ 
his  terms,  and  as  regularly  tppfc  bqtb  bis,  degfpf a. ,  4dnflgff , 
of  le$s  consequence,  thai  he  lw*  °Mfc  received  c^rpora^ 
punishraent,  seems  scarcely  wojtfo  the  paifls  that  have  beqxf 
bestowed  in  refuting  it,  if,  according  tp  fjie  }ajt*st  pf  hi?, 
zealous  apologists,  no  injury  to  his  F^pot%tion  W04I4  h? ' 
the  necessary  result  of  its  admission.  It  is  ajlp^dj,  b0*^ 
ever,  to  be  probable  that  be  might  offend  the&^rngfg  9& 
his  college  by  tbe  dislike,  ea/4y  instilled  ittfo  bis  qu^l  by 
his  tutor  Young,  of  the  discipline  of  the  church,  or  the 
plan  of  education  then  observed.     Whatever  may  be  i^ 


MILTON*  m 

tfeis»  bfe  passed  seven  y$ars  at  the  university,  *nd  after 
taking  his  master's  degree,  retired  to  bis  father's  house,  at 
Horfcon  in  Buckinghamshire. 

During  these  seven  years  of  college  residence,  his  genius, 
4ppeai$d  jft  various  attempts,  not  unworthy  of  the  future. 
^utbor  of  '<  Gomoa"  and  "  Paradise  Lost*"     He  was  a  poet 
#i>ei)  he  was  only  ten  years  old,  and  his  translation  of  the. 
136th  psahn  evinces  his  progress  in  poetic  expression  at 
the  early  age  of  fifteen.     He  renounced  his  original  pur* 
pose  of  entering  the  church*  for  which  he  assigns  ?s  a 
reason*  "  that  cooling  to  some  maturity  of  years,  be  had. 
perceived  what,  tyranny  bad  pervaded  it,  and  that  he  who 
would  take  orders*  must  subscribe  slave,  and  take  an  oath, 
withal,  which,  unless  he  took  with  a  conscience  that  could 
fetch,  he  must  either  strain,  perforce,  or  split  bis  faith;; 
I  thought  it  better  to  prefer  a  blameless  silence  before  the. 
office  of  speaking,  bought  and  begun  with  servitude  and, 
forswearing."     These  expressions  have  been  supposed  to 
allude  to  the  articles  of  the  church;  but,  as  far  as  we  know' 
of  Milton's  theology,  there  was  none  of  those  articles  to 
vvhicfr  he*  had  any  objection.     It  seems  more  reasonable- 
therefore  to  conclude,  that  he  considered  subscription  as 
involving  an  approbation  of  the  form  of  church  govern* 
ijnent,  which,  we  know,  was  his  abhorrence. 

He  spent  five  years  at  his  father's  house  at  Hgrton,  and 
during  this  time  exhibited  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of 
hk  genius.     The  "  Com  us,"  in  1634,  and  the  "  Lycidas," 
ifr  1637,  were  written  at  Horton;  and  there  is  strong  in ^ 
ternal  proof  that  the  "  L*  Allegro"  and  "  II  Penseroso'*, 
wfcfe'also  composed  here,     The  Mask  of  Comus  was  apted 
befqre  the  earl  .of  Bridgwater,  the  president  of  Wales,  in 
1.634,  $t  Ludlow-castle:  and  the  characters  of  the  lady- 
and  her  two  brothers  were  represented  by  the  lady  Alice 
JBgertofi,  then  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  her  two 
brothers,  lprd  $rackley  and  Thomas  Egerton,  who  were 
still  younger.    The  story  of  this  piece  is  said  to  have  been 
suggested  by  the  circumstance  of  the  lady  Alice  having 
been  separated  from  her  company  in  the  night,  and  having 
u&Qdgred  for  spme  time  by  herself  in  the  forest  of  Hay* 
wo^d,  as  she  was  returning  from  a  distant  visit  tp  meet  her 
father.     This  admirable  drama  was  set  to  music  by  Lawes* 
amd  fifst  published  by  him  in  1637,  and,  in  the  dedication 
t?  lord  Brackley,  he  speaks  of  the  work  as  not  openly 
acknowledged  by  the  author.    The  author  surely  had  little. 


1*0  M  r  L  T  o  ri. 

to  fear ;  it  would  be  difficult  to  discover  an  age  barfranoo* 
enough  to  refuse  the  highest  honours  to  the  author  of  at 
work  so  truly  poetical.  The  "  Lycidas"  was  written,  a» 
there  is  reason  to  believe,  at  the  solicitation  of  the  author's 
Old  college,  to  commemorate  the  death  of  Mr.  Edward 
King,  one  of  its  fellows,  a  man  of  great  learning,  piety, 
and  talents,  who  was  shipwrecked  in  his  passage  from 
Chester  to  Ireland.  It  formed  part  of  a  collection  of 
poems,  published  on  this  melancholy  occasion,  in  1638,  at 
the  university  press ;  and  its  being  thus  printed  in  a  coUec~ 
fion,  may  perhaps  diminish,  the  wonder  expressed  by  one 
of  Milton's  biographers,  that  a  poem,  breathing  suck 
hostility  to  the  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  me- 
nacing their  leader  with  the  axe,  should  be  permitted  to 
issue  from  the  university  press.  There  is  no  other  way  oif 
accounting  for  this  than  by  supposing  that  it  had  not  been 
read  before  it  went  to  press.  "'  Lycidas"  has  been  severely' 
Criticised  by  Dr.  Johnson,  and  but  feebly  supported  by 
Milton's  other  biographers. 

Of  the  "L'Allegro,"  and  "II  Penseroso,"  the  precise, 
time  of  writing  cannot  be  positively  ascertained.  They 
made  their  first  appearance  in  a  collection  of  our  author  V 
poems,  published  by  himself  in  1645  ;  but  there  is  reason 
from  internal  evidence  to  infer,  that  they  were  written  ii> 
the  interval  between  the  composition  of  "  Comus"  and 
that  of  "  Lycidas,"  consequently  while  he  lived  at  Horton. 
Of  these  two  noble  efforts  of  the  imagination,  tbe  opinion 
of  the  public  is  uniform ;  every  man  that  reads  them,  reads 
them  with  pleasure. 

In  1638,  on  the  death  of  his  mother,  he  obtained  his 
father's  leave  to  travel,  and  about  the  same  time  a  letter  of 
instructions  from  sir  Henry  Wottoh,  then  provost  of  Eton, 
but  who  had  resided  at  Venice  as  ambassador  from  James  I. 
He  went  first  to  Paris,  wherie,  by  the  favour  of  lord  S'cuda- 
more,  he  had  an  opportunity  of  visiting  Grotius,  at  that 
time  residing  at  the  French  court  as  ambassador  from 
Christina  of  Sweden.  From  Paris  he  passed  into  Italy,  of 
which  he  had  with  particular  diligence  studied  the  lan- 
guage and  literature;  and,  though  he  seems  to  have  inn 
tended, a  vfery  quick  perambulation  of  the  country,  h^ 
staid  two  months  at  Florence,  where  he  was  introduced  to 
the  academies,  and  received  with  every  mark  of  esteeiov 
Among'  other  testimonies  may  be  mentioned  the  ver&ej* 
addressed  to  him  by  Carlo  Dati,  Francipi,  and  others,  whitk 


M  I  L  T.  O  IS.  1*1 

prove  that  they  considered  a  visit  from  Milton  as  no  com*> 
sbod  honour.  From  Florence  he  went  to  Sienna,  and  from 
^Sienna  to  Rome,  where  he  was  again  received  with  kind- 
ness by  the  learned  and  the  great.  Holstenius,  the  keeper 
erf  the  Vatican  library,  who  had  resided  three  years  at  Ox- 
-ford,  introduced  him  to  cardinal  Barberini;  and  he,  on 
orte  occasion,  at  a  musical  entertainment,  waited  for.  him 
-at  the  door,  and  led  him  by  the  hand  into  the  assembly. 
Here  it  is  conjectured  that  Milton  heard  the  accomplished 
-and  enchanting  Leonora  Baroni  sing,  •  a  lady  whom  be  has 
•honoured  with  three  excellent  Latin  epigrams.  She  is  also 
supposed  to  have  been  celebrated  by  Milton  in  her  own 
language,  and  to  have  been  the  object  of  his  love  in  his 
Italian  sonnets.  While  at  R6me,  Selvaggl  praised  Milton 
m  a  distich,  and  Satsiili  in  a  tetrastic,  on  which  he  put 
some  vahie  by  printing  thetn  before  his  poems.  The 
Italians,  says  Dr.  Johnson,  were  gainers  by  thw  literary 
cothtnerce ;  for  the  encomiums  with  which  Milton  repaid 
Salsilli,  though  pot  secure  against  a  stern  grammarian, 
turn  the  balance  indisputably  in  Milton's  favour. 

From  Rome,  after  a  residence  of  two  months,  he  went 
to  (Naples,  'in  company  with  a  hermit,  who  introduced  him 
to  Menso,  marquis >  of  Villa,  who  had  been,  before  the 
patron  of  Tasso,  and  who  showed  every  mark  of  Attention 
-to  Milton,  until  the  latter  displeased,  him  by  certain  senti- 
ments on. the  subject  of  religion.  In  return,  however,  for 
.a  few  verses  addressed  to  him  by.  the  marquis,'  in  which  he 
commends  him  for  every1  t^tng  but  his  religion,  Milton 
sent:  him  a  , Latin  poem,  which  must  have  raised  a  Jiigh 
opinion  of  Engbish  elegance  and- literature.  It  ought  in- 
deed never  tpi  be  fdrgot,}  that' ii  the  whole  course  of  this 
-tour,  Milton-  pitteurdd uespeotufor  the  English,  wherever 
he  went ;  nor  does  it  appear  to  be  less  memorable  that  he 
.rarely  found  hiai  superior  among-  the  learned  men  of  the 
-continent,,  who  considered  his- doom  try  as  only  just  emerg- 
ing from  baAairism;  •        ?  :     •• 

He  wasiriow<to  have  visited- Sicily  and  Greece*  but  in- 
telligence; frota. En  glarfd  changed  his. purpose.'  "■  As  I  was 
-desirous^"  he  says,  M  te  pass:  into.  Sicily  siid  Greefce,  the 
melancholy  ibtelligfence  of  the' civil- war  recalled  me-;  for 
I  esteemed/it  dishonourable  for  me  to  be . lingering  abroad, 
even  for  the  improvement. o£  my  mind,  when  my  fellow- 
citizens  were  contending  for  their  liberty  at  home."  He 
.therefore- came  back  to  Rbole,  though  the  merchants  in- 


183  M  I  L  T  O  H. 

formed  him  of  plots  laid  against  bkn  by  tbe  English  Jesttrt% 
for  bis  free  sentiments  on  religion;' but  he  fad  sens* 
enough  to  judge  that  tbeve  was  no.  danger,  and  theeeforte 
kept  on  bis  way,  and  acted  as.  before,  neither  obtruding 
nor  shunning  conversation.  He  now  *taiid  two  month* 
more  at  Rome,  and  went  on  to  Ftorende  without  molesta- 
tion. From  Florence  be  visited  Lucca,  a  ad  aiterwnrak 
went  to  Venice,  whence  be  travelled  to  Geneva,  and  these 
became  acquainted  with  John  Diodati  and  Frederic  Sffitt- 
heina,  two  learned  professors  of  divinity.  From  <****%* 
he  passed  through  France,  and  came  home  after  a*  ahe 
sence  of  a  year  and  three  months* 

For  some  time  after  hi&arrival,  he  employed  tohjwetf  ib 

the  business  of  education,  a  circumstance  at*  which  sonde 

have  dilated  with  unnecessary  prolixity,  as  if  tbetoe  had 

been  any  thing  degrading  in  tile  character  or  <employsactot 

of  a  schoolmaster.     Dtj  Johnson  has  obseBved  that  ^  this  Is 

the  period  of  his  life  fwmt  winch  alL  his  "biographer*  seem 

inclined  to  shrink;     Milton  himself  says,  that  lie  hastened 

home  (and.  hia  haste,  after  alt,  was  not  gfleaij)  beoause  4ne 

■  esteenied  it  dishonourable  to  be  lingering  abroad  white  his 

j«fellQw-»chiaeos  were  contending  for  tbeic  liberty.    This 

-  seem  to. imply  h  promise  of  joining)  tbetp  its  their  estdtife- 

•  yours,;  but  as*  instead  df  this,  be  seta  up  a  school  imaiee 
diately  on  bis,  arrival,  bis  biographers  are  puazled  U*  ao- 
comK  for  hi^;  conduct,  and  yet  destroys  of  defending  it. 
What  can  he  said  in  his  favour'  has  been  better  said  by 
Johnson  than  by  any  of  hja  apologists,  urid /in. fewer  wwrda; 
*'  Hia  father  was  alive ;  his  allowance  waa  not  ample ;  aftd 
be  supplied  its.  deficiencies  by  an  honest  and  useful  ew>- 

*  plojtmanfc.''  And  we  shall  findi  that  >fa  v*ny  anon,  joined 
bisyfeUowficitiaens,  and  contribfttHed  his  share  to  ttte  cm*- 
trenjejsies  of  the  times. 

As  the  mode*  oil  education  which  he  iatitoAneed  in  iris 
school  bas.bgen  given  up  by  all  his  biographers,  it  may  be 
sufficient  here  only  to  notice  briefly  that  his  i  purpose  was 
t0  teafcb  things  more  than  Words*  Not  content  with  the 
common  school  authors,  he  placed  in  the  hands  of  bays 
,frjor/i  ten  to  fifteen  years  of  age,;  soch  writers  as  wave  oa- 
.  ppfyle  of  giving' information  in  some  of  the  departments  of 
science.  J&yenJn  the  selection  of  these  be  was  unfortu- 
nate* as  his.  most  zealous  advocates  ace  willing  to  aHow>: 
the  only  part  of  his  method  which  desetwes  general  ktiSlsj- 
tion,  was.  the  care  -with  which  he  instructed  bis  sobohnrs'M* 


MILTON.  M9 

Every  Sunday  was  spent  upota  theology,  of 
*pfeich  he  dictated  a  system;  to  them  founded  on  the  prio- 
otptes  of  the  Genevan  divines.  He  also  read  and  probably 
commented  on  a  chapter  in  the  Gredc  Testament.  Hhr 
first  tebool'  war  at  his  lodgings,  hi  St  Bride's  church-yard, 
hot  as  the.  number  of  his  scholars,  increased,  he  removed 
to  a  house  in  Aldersgate*streec 

.  The  time,  however,  was  now  come  when,  as  Johnson 
4ayt,  he  was  to  lend  "  his  breath  to  blow  the  flames  of 
contention."  In  1641  he  published  a  treatise  of  "  Refor- 
mation?" is*  tvfa  books,  against  the  established  church; 
and  soon  after  one,  "  Of  Prelatical  Episcopacy,"  against 
the  learned  Usher,  who  had  writtth  a  confutation  of 
-{*  SmeetymtMMis*"  which  was  intended  as  an  answer  to 
bishop  Hall's  "  Humble  Remonstrance,7'  in  defence  of 
Episcopacy.  His  next  work  was  "  The'  Reason  of  Church 
:  Gojenulent  urged  against  Prelafcy,"  1 64Z.  In  this  book, 
sagps  Jbbnson,  be  discovers,  not  with  ostentatious  exuha- 
tion^  but  with  calm  confidence,  hi*  high  opinion  of  his 
Qwd  powers  i  and  promises  to  undertake  something,  he 
j^baow*  not  what,  that  qmy  be  of  .ufee  and  honour  to  bia 
country.  "This,"  says  Milton,  "is  not  to  be  obtained 
but  bjfr  devout  player  to  the  eternal  Spirit  that  can  enrich 
with  ail  utterance  and  knowledge,  and  sends  out  his  Sera* 
pbktt  with  the  hallowed  fire  of  his, altar*  to  touch  and  purify 
the  lips  of  whom  be  please*.  To  this-  must  be  added,  in- 
dustrious .and  select  reading,  steady  observation,  and  hi- 
9tghfc  into  all  seemly  and  generous  arts  and  .affairs ;  till 
.whipb'iiir  some  measure  be  compost,  I  rtefuse  not  to  sustain 
tkis  eitpectation."  From  a  promise  Kkd  tbi&i  add?  Jobn- 
tmv  at  once  fervid^  pious,  and  rational,,  might  be  expected 
the  "  Paradise  Lost;"  He  published  the  same  year  tiro 
mere  pamphlets  on  the  same  qufestion,  with  which  the 
eontntaeiay  appears  to  have  ended,  and  episcopacy  was 
loon  afteawards  overwhelmed  by  the  violent  means,  for 
which  the  press  bad  long  prepared. 

.  About  thfe  time  that  the  town  of  Reading  was  taken  by 
tbfe  earl  of  Essex,,  Milton's  father  came  to  reside  in  his 
houses  and  his  school  increased.  In  1643,  his  domestie 
oemfeot  mm  disturbed  by  an  incident  which  he  had  hoped 
neieid  bfcve  rather  promoted  it*  This  wa*  his  marriage  to 
Mary,-  the  dkughfaer  of:  Richard  Powell,  esq.  a  magistrate 
in  Osfordahire^  and  a  loyalist  The  lady  was  brought  to 
Let*de%  hut  did  not  remain  above  a  month  with  her  bus-* 


184  MILTON. 

batkl,  when  under  pretence  of  a  visit  to  her  .relations*  a&e 
wholly  absented  <herself,  and  resisted  bis  utmost  and  re- 
.  peated  importunities  to  return.  His  biographers  inform 
us  that  the  lady  had  been  accustomed  to  the  jovial  hospi- 
tality of  the  loyalists  at  her  father's  house,  and  that  after  a 
month's  experience  of  her  new  life,  she  began  to  sigh  for 
the  gaieties  she  had  left,  &c.  Whether  this  will  suffi- 
ciently account  for  her  conduct,  our  readers  may  consider. 
Milton,  however,  appears  to  have  felt  the  indignity,  and 
determined  to  repudiate  her  for  disobedience;  and  finding 
no  court  of  law  able  to  assist  him,  published  some  treatises 
to  justify  his  intentions ;  such  as  "  The  Doctrine  and  Dis- 
cipline of  Divorce;"  "The  Judgment  of  Martin  Bucer, 
concerning  Divorce,"  &c.  In  these  he  argued  the  point 
with  great  ingenuity,  but  made  few  converts,  and  the 
principal  notice  taken  of  these  writings  came  in  a  very 
unfortunate  shape.  The  Westminster  assembly  of  divines 
procured  that  the  author  should  be  called  before  the  Hoitye 
of  Lords,  who  did  not,  however,  institute  any  process  on 
the  matter  ;  but  in  consequence  of  this  attack,  the  presby- 
terian  party  forfeited  his  favour,  and  he  ever  after  treated, 
them  with  contempt.  .... 

As  in  these  writings  on  divorce,  he  had  convinoed  him- 
self of  the  rectitude  of  his  principles,  his  next  step  was  to 
carry  them  into  practice,  by  courting  a  young  woman  of 
great  accomplishments,  the  daughter  of  one  Dr.  Davis,  or 
Davies,  This  alarmed  the  parents  of  his  wife,  who  bad 
now  another  reason  for  wishing  a  reconciliation,  namely, 
the  interest  of  Milton  with  the  predominant  powers,  to 
whom  they  had  become  obnoxious  by  their  loyalty.  It 
was  contrived,  therefore,  that  his  wife  should  be  at  a  house 
where  he  was  expected  to  visit,  and  should  surprize  him 
with  her  presence  and  her  penitence.  All  this  was  suc- 
cessfully arranged  :  the  lady  played  her  part  to  admira- 
tion, and  Milton  not  only  received  her  with  his  wonted 
affection,  but  extended  his  protection  to  her  family  in  the 
most  generous  manner.  He  was  now  obliged  to.  take  a 
larger  mansion,  and  removed -to  Barbican.  In  16*44,  he 
published  his  "Tractate  on  Education,"  explaining  the 
plan  already  mentioned,  which  he  had  attempted  to 
carry  into  execution  in  his  school.  His  next  publication 
was  his  "  Areopagitica,  or  a  speech  for  the  liberty  of  un- 
licensed printing ;"  a  treatise  which  at  least'  served  -to  ex- 
posg  the  hypocrisy  of  the  usurping  powers,  during  whose 


MILTON.  48* 

tetgn  the  liberty  of  the  press  was  as  much  restrained  .as  in 
«iy  period  of  the  monarchy,  nor  perhaps  at  any  time  was 
Milton's  unbounded  liberty  less  relished.  - 

Though  his  controversial,  and  other  engagements,  had 
for  some  time  suspended  fthe  exertion  of  Ms  poetical  ta* 
lents,  yet  he  did  not  suffer  his  character  as  a  poet  to  sink 
into  oblivion,  and  in  1645,  he  published  his  juvenile  poeris 
in  Latin  and  English,  including,  for  the  first  .time,  the 
"Allegro"  and  "  Penseroso."  In  1646,  Milton's  wife  pro* 
doced  her  first  child,  and  in  the  following  year,  in  which 
bis  father  died,  the  family  of  the  Powells  returned  to  their 
own  mansion,  and  his  house  was  resigned  once  more  to 
literature.  ln>this  house,  in  which  his  second  daughter 
Mary  was  borrt,  he  did  not  continue  long,  but  exchanged 
it  for  one  of  smaller  dimensions  in  High  Holborn.  He  is 
not  known. to  have  published  any  thing  afterwards  till  the 
king's  death,  when  finding  that  measure  condemned  by  the 
Presbyterians,  he  wrote  a  treatise  to  justify  it.  Of  all 
Milton's  political  works  this  reflects  least  credit  on  his  ta- 
lents, or  his  principles.  .  Even  those  who  have  been  most 
disposed  to  vindicate  him  against  all  censure,  and  to  re- 
present him  invulnerable  both  as  a  politician  and  a  poet, 
seem  to  shrink  from  the  task  of  defending  him  in  this  in- 
stance, and  candidly  tell  us,  that  they  meet  with  an  in- 
superable difficulty  in  the  very  title  of  the  book;  "The 
Tenure  of  Kings  and  Magistrates ;  proving,  that  it  is  law- 
ful, and  hath  been  held  so  through  all  ages,  for  any 
who  have  the  power,  to  call  to  account  a  tyrant  or  wicked 
king :  and  after  due  conviction,  to  depose  and  put  him  to 
death,  if  the  ordinary  magistrate  have  neglected  or  denied 
to  do  it."  Here,  therefore,  the  right  to  punish,  kings  be- 
longs to  any  who  have  the  power,  and  their  having  the  power 
makes  it  lawful,  a  doctrine  so  monstrous  as  to  be  given  up 
.by  his  most  zealous  advocates,  as  "  a  fearful  opening  for 
mischief:"  but  it  was,  in  truth,  at  that  time,  what  Mil- 
ton intended  it  to  be,  a  justification,  not  of  the  people  of 
England,  for  they  had  no  hand  in  the  king's  murder,  but 
of. the  army  under  foretop  and  Cromwell.  That  Milton  was 
also  -  at  this  .time  under  the  strong  in  flueoce  -  of  party-spi- 
rit,* appears  from  his  attack  ^n'  the  Presbyteriane  in  this 
work,  the  avowed  grounki  of  which  is  their  inconsistency. 
When,  however,  we  examine  their  inconsistency,  as  be 
baa  been  pleased  tp  state  it,  it  amctants  toonly  this*  ttatt 
they  contributed  in  common  with,  the  Independents  and 


156  M  I  L  TO  N. 

other  aeefcurasi  and  parties,  to  dethrone  die  king  j  bwt 
ssisfaed  to  stop  short  of  bis  murder.  Eye* y  spetic*  of  ©p- 
position  to  what  they  considered  as  tyranny  in  the  king)  they 
could  exert,  but  they  thought  it  sufficient  to  deprire  Mm  of 
ptfwer,  without  depriving  him  of  life 

His  next  publication  was,  "  Observations  upon  the  ami* 
cfes  of  Peace,  which  the  earV  of  Ormond  had  concluded  at 
Kilkenny,  on  Jam  17, 1648^,  in  the  king's  name*  and  by 
bis  authority,  with  the  popish  Irish  rebels,"  &c.  The  pur- 
p©rt  ot  this  also  was  to  fender  the  royal  cause  more  odicras 
by  connecting  it  with  the  Irish  massacre *,  and  that  the  sen- 
titnents  of  the  nation  might  become  yet  more  completely 
republican,  he  now  employed*  himself  in  ^composing.  €*  A 
History  of  England."  Of  this,  however,  he  wrote  only 
six  books,  which  bring  it  no  lower  down  than  to  the  bottle 
of  Hastings.  It  presents  a  perspicuous  arrangement  of  the 
fabulous,  and  less  interesting  part  of  our  history;  but,  as 
he  neter  resumed  the  task,  it  is  impossible  to  say  in  what 
way  be  could  have  rendered  the  events  of  more  recent 
times  subserrient  to  his  purpose;  His  regicide  perfor- 
mance evidently  shews  that  bis  ideas  of  our  constipation 
me  totally  at  variance  with  the  opinions  of  the  most  en* 
lightened  of  our  present  writers;  and  he  probably  farad 
that  even  in  the  favourite  republic  now  established,  there 
was  but  little  that  suited  with  the  order  of  things  he  bad 
projected. 

The  immediate  cause,  how  even,  of  tbeinterntptioniigiuen 
to  his  "  History,"  was  his  being  appointed  Latin  secretary 
to  die  new  council  of  state,  which  was  to  supply,  all  the 
i&ftces  of  royalty.  He  had  scarcely  aoeepted  this  appoint* 
ment,  when  his  employers  called  upon  him  to  answer  the 
famous  book  entitled  a  Icon  Basil ike\  ec  the  portraiture  of 
'bis'sacrcd  majesty  in  his  solitudes  and  sufferings.'*  This 
sv*s  then?  understood  to  be  the  production  of  CharlesrJL 
-jind  was  published. unquestionably  with  tfte'vietf  to*  exhibit 
Jhm  to  the  people  ma  more  ferourable  light  than  he  had 
Keen  represented  by  those  who  brought  him  to  the  btoeM. 
It  probably  -too  was  beginning  to  produce  tha*  effect,  asctfae 
-jroVernmen*  thought  it  necessary  to  employ  the  taiantsri»f 
'Milton  to  answer  it*  which  he  did  in  a  work. entitled  "Ipe*- 
Docbstes^  or"Imtfge-breabei%  In  this  hefoHawetheaosjs*- 
mon  opinion,  thatr  the  king  was  the  writer*  although  be 
sometimes  seems  to  admit  of  doubtsv  audi  makes;  his  answer 
•a>soitt  otpenri^w  and  vmdidavio»<rf  ail  the  proceedings;  a  j 


at  ILTO  K  1ST 

the  cooru  This  bin  been  praiaed  as  one  of  the  ablest  of 
ail  Milton's  political  tracts*  white  it  is  at  the  same  time 
confessed  that  it  did.  not  in  the  least  diminish  the  popularity 
of  the  "  lean,"  of  which  46,500  are  said  to  have  been  said, 
and  whether  h  was  the  production  of  th&  king  oc  of  bishop 
€audear  it  must  have  kmrmomzed  with  the  feelings  and 
sebtiaaewts  of  a  great  .proportion  of  the  public.  The  story 
*f  Mitten's  insertaug  a  prayer  taken  from  Sidney's  u  Arca- 
dia/* and  imputing  the  use  of  it  to  the  king  as* a  crime* 
appeals  to  have  no  foundation ;  but  we  know  not  how  00 
vindicate,  this  and  other  petty  objections  to  tfce  king's 
eharacter,  froiathe  charge  of  personal  animosity. 
.  Milton's  nest  employment  was  to  answer  the  celebrated 
Selmasius,  who,  at  the  instigation  of  the  exiled  Charles  II. 
Jiad  written  a  defiance  of  his  father  and  of  monarchy; 
Sklmasius  w&oaa antagonist  worthy  of  Milton,  as  a  general 
scholar,  but  scarcely  his  equal  in  that  species  of  political 
talent  which  rendered  Mittoirfs  services  so  important  to  the 
new.1  government.  Salmaaius's  work  was  entitled  "Defew~ 
sio  Bggia,''  and  MUton?s."  Defeoiio  pro  populo-  Anglic 
cjtnoy"  which  greatly  increased  Milton's'  reputation  abroad, 
-aadk  at  home  we  may  be  certain  would  procure  him- no 
small  share  of  additional  faaour.  That  bis  work  includes 
awry-  great  portion  of  controrensal  bitterness,  may  be  at- 
tributed either  to  the  temper  of  the  times,  or  of  the  wrioer, 
as  the  reader  pleases  \  but  the  former  was  entirely  in-  hjs 
faoury  and  his  triumph  waa  therefore  complete.  Of  Sal- 
jBasiuVs  work,  the  highest  .praise  has  been  reserved  to  our 
own:  times,  in  which  the  last  biographer  of  Milton  has  com* 
pared  it. to  Mr.  Burke V celebrated  book  on  the  French 
roroltttiojitf 

Mutator's  eye-sight,  wkieb  had  been  some  time  declining; 
<wa*  now  totally  gone ;  but,,  greatly  fek  as  this  privation* 
mnsto  have  been  to  a  man  of  studious  habits,  bis  intellectual 
powers?  suffered  no  dinrinutixmj  About-  this  time  (1658), 
k4  jwaa^  involved  in  another  controversy  respecting  tbef 
f^JJefeasi©,  pro  popnlo  Angltcano,"  in  oonbequence  o£  « 
work  published  at  the  Hague,  entitled  "  Regii  sanguinis 
'abator*  ad  cerium  adversas  parricidas  AnglicanosV' written) 
ky  Peter  dp  Moulin,  but  published  by,  and  under  tb^ 
ttame<af,  Alexander?  Mosus,  onMbre.  This  prodo^ed'frot* 
Jtitkon,  hi*  *f.  Defensio  seettnda  pro  populo  Apglieane*** 
and<a  few-replies  to  the  answers  erf  fads  antagonists.  Ib  this 
soc^iwL  "  Befeusio,"    written  in  the  .same  spirit  an  tfr# 


N     < 


IS*  MILTON. 

4 

\ 

preceding,  is  introduced  a  high  panegyric  upon  CnxAweft* 
who  bad  now  usurped  the  supreme  power  with  the  title. of 
Protector.    It  seems,  acknowledged  that  his  biographers 
have  found  it  very  difficult  to  justify  this  part  of  his  con* 
duct.     Tbey  have,  therefore,  had  recourse  to  those  conjee* 
tural  reasons  which  shew  their  own  ingenuity,  but  perhaps 
never  existed  in  the  mind  of  Milton.     Their  soundest  de- 
fence would  have   been  to  suppose  Milton   placed  in  a 
choice  of  evils,  a  situation  which  always  admits  of  apolpgy. 
It  is  evident,  however,  that  he  had  now  reconciled  himself 
to  the  protector- king,  and  went  on  with  bis  business  as 
secretary,  and,   among  other  things,  is  supposed  to  have 
written  the  declaration  of  the  reasons  for  a  war  with  Spain. 
About  this  time  (1652)  his  first  wife  died  in  childbed,  leav- 
ing him  three  daughters.   He  married  again,  mot  long  after, 
Catherine,  tbe  daughter  of  a  captain  Woodcock,  -  of  Hack* 
Dey,  who  died  within  a  year  in  child-birth,  and  (was  la- 
mented by  him  in  a  sonnet,  which  Johnson  terms  "  poor,'.' 
but  others  "pleasing  and  pathetic."     To  divert  his  grief 
he  is  said  now; to  have  resumed  bis  "  History  of  England,'? 
?nd  to  have  made  some  progress  in  a  Latin  dictionary. 
This  last -appears  to,  have  engaged  his  attention  occasion* 
aUyfor  many  years  after,  for  he. left  three  folios  of  eollec- 
tion**  that  were  probably  used  by  subsequent  lexicographers, 
^ut  .could  not. of  themselves  have  formed  a.  publication. 
;    He  had  praised  Cromwell  as  the1  only  person  who  could 
allay  the  contentions  of  parties,  and  ^he  time  was.  now 
come  When  the  nation  was  to  lose  this  protecting  genius. 
Another  Cromwell  was  not  to  be  found,  and  general  anarchy 
seemed  approaching.     Milton,  somewhat  alarmed,  but  not 
wholly  dispirited  with  this  state  of  things,  took  up  his  pen 
to, give  advice  on  certain  urgent  topics,  and  having  as  ra&ch 
dread  of  presbyterianism  as  of  royalty,  he  published  two 
treatises,  one,  *!  Of  the  civil  pewenin  ecclesiastical  .causes," 
^nd  the  other,  "  Considerations  touching,  the  likeliest  mean? 
tp  remove  hirelings  out  of  the  church."     In  both  these  he 
shewed  bis  sentiments  to  be  unaltered  on  the  subjects  of  iiivil 
aftd  ecclesiastical  government ;  and  he  urged  them  yetifav* 
the*: in  "The  present  means  and  brief  delineation  of  aifiree 
C$f»H>onweidtb,7  and  "  The  ready  and  easy  way  to  establish 
9.  \frefc  Cctemon wealth."     In  this  last  his  inconsistencies 
haee.btffen  justly  exposed  by  one  of  his  recent  biographers. 
'A  .With  tbe  strongest  prepossession  of  a  party-zealot,  he 
defterte  bis  general  principle  for  the  attainment  of  his  parr  * 


MILTON,  *9st 

tteular  object :  and  thinks  that  his  own  opinions  ought  ti> 
be  enforced  in  opposition  to  those  of  the  majority  of  thfe 
nation.  Aware  also  that  a  frequetit  change  of  the  'govern- 
ing body  might  be  attended  with  inconvenience  and  pos- 
sible danger,  he  decides  against  frequent  parliaments,  and 
in  favour  of  a  permanent  council.*  Into  such  inconsistencies 
was  he  betrayed  by  bis  animosity  to  monarchy,  and  his 
bigoted  attachment  to  whatever  carried  the  name  of  a  re- 
public."  These  pamphlets  were  answered  both  in  a  spor- 
tive and  serious  way,  but  neither  probably  gave  him  much 
uneasiness.  His  last  effort  in  the  cause  of  republicanism 
was  entitled  "  Brief  notes"  on  a  loyal  sermon  preached  by 
Dr.  Matthew  Griffith,  one  of  the  late  king's  chaplains  :  and 
with  this  terminated  his  political  controversies. 

Charles  II.  was  now  advancing,  with  the  acclamations 
of  the  people,  to  the  throne,  and  Milton,  it  was  natural 
to  suppose,  might  expect  his  resentment:  for  some  time, 
therefore,  he  secreted  himself,  but  on  the  issuing  of  the 
act  of  oblivion,  his  name  was  not  found  among  the  except 
tions,  and  he  appeared  again  in  public.  Various  reasons 
have  been  assigned  for  this  lenity,  but  the  most  probable 
was  the  interest  of  his  friends  Andrew  Marvel  I,  sir  Tho- 
mas Clarges,  and  especially  sir  William  Davenant,  whom 
Milton  had  once  rescued  from  a  similar  danger.  The  only 
notice  taken  of  him  was  by  the  House  of  Commons,  who 
ordered  his  "  Iconoclastes"  and  "  Defence  of  the  people 
of  England"  to  be  burnt  by  the  hands  of  the  hangman ;  and 
it  appears  that  he  was  once,  and  for  a  short  time,  in  cus- 
tody, but  on  what  pretext  is  not  known. 

In  1662  he  resided  in  Jewin-street,  and  from  this  he 
removed  to  a  small  house  in  the  Artillery-walk,  adjoining 
Bunhill-fields,  where  he  continued  during  the  remaining 
parfcof  his  life.  While  living  in  Jewin-street,  he  married 
his  third  wife,  Elizabeth  Minshull,  the  daughter  of  a  gen- 
tleman of  Cheshire.  He  was  now  employed  on  "  Paradise 
Lost,"  to  which  alone,  of" all  his  works*  be  owes  his  fame* 
Whence  he  drew  the  original  design  has  been  variously 
Conjectured,  but  nothing  very  satisfactory  has  been  pro- 
duced. It  was  at  a  very  early  period  that  he  meditated  an 
epic  poem,  but  then  thought  of  taking  his  subject  from  the 
heroic  part  of  English  history.  At  length  "  after  long' 
choosing,  and  beginning  late,"  he  fixed  upon  "  Paradise 
Lost:"  a  design  so  comprehensive,  that  it  could,  says  Dr. 
Johnson,  be  justified  only  by  success.    We  may  refer  to 


\ 


1$0  MILTO  N. 

tha£  eminent  critic,  and  bis  other  biographers,  for  a  regular 
examinatioa  of  the 'beauties  aac^  defect*  of  this  immortal 
poem,  as  well  aus  for  many  particuhn*  relative  to  the  time* 
and  mode  in  which  be  composed.  These  it  would  have 
been  delightful  to  trace,  bad  our  information  beeo  as  ac- 
curate as  it  i*  various ;  but,  unhappily*  every  step  in  MiUoa> 
progress  has  been  made  the  subject,  of.aagry  controversy* 
and  they  who  cao  take  any  pleasure  in  the  effusions  of  cri- 
tical irritation,  may  be  amply  gratified  in  the  more  recent 
Jives  of  Milton. 

The  "  Paradise  Lost"  was  first  published  in  1667;  and 
much  surprize  and  concert*  have  been  discovered  at  the 
small  pecuniary  benefit  which  the  author  derived  from  this 
proud  display  of  bis  genius.  It  must,  in  our  view  of  the 
matter,  and  considering  only  the  merit  and  popularity  of 
the  poem,  s$em  deplorable  that  the  copyright  of  such  a 
composition  should  be  sold  for  the  sum  of  five  pounds,  and 
a  contingent  payment,  on  th$  sale  of  2600  copies,  of  twe 
other  equal  sums,  making  in  all  fifteen  pounds,  as  the 
whole  pecuniary  reward  of  a  poem  which  has  never  beet* 
equalled.  It  will  not  greatly  diminish  our  wonder  at  thi# 
paltry  sua)  if  we  add,  upon  the  authority  of  his  biographers* 
that  this  fifteen  pounds  purchased  the  bookseller'*  right 
only  to  tjie  several  editions  for  which  they  were  paid,  and 
that  Milton's  widow  sold  (be  irreverubte  copyright  to  the 
sfune  bookseller,  Samuel  Simmons,  for  eight  pounds.  Here 
is  still  oply  a  sum  pf  twenty-three  pounds  derived  from  the 
work,  to  the  author  and  bis  family.  In  defease  of  the 
bookseller,  however,  we  are  referred  to  the  risk  be  ran? 
from  the.  publication  of  a  work  in  all  respects  new,  and 
written  by  a  wao  under  peculiar  circumstances :  and  to  the 
state  of  literary  curiosity  and  liberality  so  different  from 
what;  prevail  in  our  own  days.  This  is  specious,  and  ipust 
be  satisfactory  for  want  pf  information  respecting  the  usqak 
prices  of  literary  labour,  which  we  cannot  now  easily  ac*» 
quire.  We  have  seen  a  manuscript  computation  by  the 
\ate  John  Whiston  the  bookseller,  whteh  would  be  value* 
tie,  as  coming  from  a  good  judge  pf  the  article,  if,  unfor*. 
{unately,  he  had  been  correct  in  the  outset :  but  as  he  re+, 
presents  Jacob  Tonson  giving  the  author  30/.  for  the.  first 
edition,  apd  10/,  more  when  it  should  come  toa  second,, 
we  know  all  this  to  be  erroneous,  and  that  the  author's  fa*, 
mily  bad  disposed  pf  the  whole  before  the  work  became 
Tonson'*  property.    This,  hc-wever,  b$  call* '?  ft  genewmf 


MILTON.  t*I 

price,  as  copies  then  sold ;"  and  if  this  be  trutt  **  oartnot 
juppose  for  a  moment,  that  *  scholar  could  it)  that  age  in-* 
dplge  any  hopes  of  being  rewarded  by  the  public.  In  MiK» 
totfp  c#ae  we  hope  be  had  no  dependapce  on  it,  for  the 
\rqe  w*y  to  ascertain  bow  very  paltry  the  sum  was  which 
he  received*  i*  by  comparing  it  with  bis  property,  which, 
at  bis  death9  amounted,  to  3QQ0/, 

In  1671,  Mil  ton  published  his  "  Paradise  Regained,1* 
written  on  the  suggestion  of  $lwood,  the  quaker*  who  had 
heen  one  of  his  amanuenses*     Elwood,  after  reading  the 
"  Paradise  Lost,"  happened  to  say,  "  Thou  hast  said  much 
here  on, Paradise  Lost,  but  what  bast  thou  to  say  of  Para* 
fkise  Found  ?"     This  poem  was  probably  regarded  by  the 
anther  «9  the  theplogical  completion  of  the  plan  com* 
ipepced  ip  **  Paradise  Lost,9'  and  he  i&  said  to  have  viewed 
It  with  strong  preference;  but  in  this  last  opinion  few  have 
been  fcwad  to  coincide.    Its  inferiority  in  point  of  grandeur 
and  invention  is  very  generally  acknowledged,  although  it 
j*0K>t:  by  any  means  unworthy  of  hi*  genius.    About  the 
saiqe  tipe  appeared  bis  "  Samson  Agonistes,"  a  drama, 
Oftippofed  upon  thespcient  model*  and  abounding  in  moral 
apd  descriptive  beauties,  bet  never  intended  or  calculated 
for  the  stage- 
To  that  multiplicity  of  attainments,  and  extent  of  cam- 
jMFpben?iop,  that  entitle  this  great  author  to  our  veneration, 
may  be  added,  says  Johnson,  a  kind  of  bumble  dignity, 
which  did  not  disdain  the  meanest  services  to  literature. 
The  epic  poet,  the  cpntrqvertiist,  and  politician,  having 
already  descended  te  aceommedate  qbiWren  with  a  book 
of  elements*  now,  in  the  last  years  of  his  Sfe,  composed  a 
book  ef  Lqgic,  for  the  initiation  of  students  in  philosophy  t 
Sfflfd  published,  in  1672,  "  Artis  L,egiccp  plenior  institutt* 
aM  ftttri  Haaji  me&odiwn  concinnata."     In  the  following 
yea/ie  ventured,  once  more  to  meddle  with  the  controvert 
flip*  of  the  times,  and  wrote  "  A  Treatise  of  true  Religion^ 
$p*  and  the  t>e?t  means  to  prevent  the  Growth  of  Popery." 
The  latter  wan  became  the  dread  of  the  nation,  and  Milton 
was  amgr^g  the  *¥pst  zealous  of  its  opponents.    The  ptrinci* 
pie  of  toleraUpn  which  be  Uy*  down  is,  agreement  ie  the 
spftcieacy  of  the  scripture*,  whieh  be  denies  to  the  Pa* 
pists,  be$aq*e  they  appeal  to  another  authority.    }n  thf 
jftipne  jeax  MjUqu  pqhlishtid  a  *ee<3ftd  edition  of  his  youth* 
^paepPft  wth  bU  ^  Tractate  on  :Edue*tio\i,u  in  one  wo* 
\mst  ift  *ift&  fe»  i*&ki!k&  Vime  pieces  not  oampreben^ei 


19*  MILTON. 

in  the  edition  of  1 645.  In  1 674  be  gatve  the  world-  Ms  fa* 
miliar  letters,  and  some  college  exercises,  the  former  with 
the  title  of  "  Epistolarum  Familiarum  Liber  unus,"  and  the 
latter  with  that  of  "  Prolusiones  "qusedam  oratories  in  Col-< 
legio  Christi  habitoe."  He  is  also  said,  but  upon  doubtful 
authority,  to  have  translated  into  English  the  declaration 
of  the  Poles,  on  their  elevating  John  Sobieskt  to  their 
elective  throne.  With  more  probability  he  bas»  been  rec- 
koned the  author  of  "  A  brief  History  of  Muscovy,**  which 
was  published  about  eight  years  after  his  death.  With  this 
.  work  terminated  his  literary  labours ;  for  the  gout,  which 
had  for  many  years  afflicted  him,  was  now  hastening  his 
end.  He  sunk  tranquilly  under  an  exhaustion  of  the  vital 
powers  on  the  8th  of  November,  1674,  when  he  had  nearly 
completed  his  sixty-sixth  year.  His  remains  were  carried 
from  his  house  in  Bunhtll-fields  to  the  church  of  St.  Giles, 
Cripplegate,  with  a  numerous  and  splendid  attendance,  ahd 
deposited  in  the  chancel  near  those  of  his  father.  No  mo* 
nument  marked  the  tomb  of  this  great  man,  but  one  was 
erected  to  his  memory  in  Westminster  Abbey,  in  1737,  at 
the  expence  of  Mr.  Benson,  one  of  the  auditors  of  the  im- 
prest. His  bust  has  since  been  placed  in  the  church  where 
h^  Was  interred,  by  the  late  Samuel  Whitbread,  esq. 

In  the  July  preceding  his  death,  Milton  had  requested 
the  attendance  of  his  brother  Christopher,  and  in  his  pre* 
fence  made  a  disposition  of  his  property  by  a  formal  de- 
claration of  his  will.  This  mode  of  testament,  which  is 
called  nuncupative,  was  set  aside,  on  a  suit  instituted  by 
his  daughters.  By  this  nuncupative  will  he  had  given  all 
his  property  to  his  widow,  assigning  nothing  to  his  daugh- 
ters but  their  mother's  portion,  which  had  not  yet  been 
paid.  On  this  account,  and  from  exacting  from  his  chil- 
dren some  irksome  services,  such  as  reading  to  him  in  lan- 
guages which  they  did  not  understand,  a  necessity  result- 
ing from  his  blindness  and  his  indigence,  he  has  been 
branded  as  an  unkind  father.  But  the  nuncupative  will, 
discovered  some  years  since,  shews  him  to  have  been  amia- 
ble, and  injured  in  that  private  scene,  in  which  alone  be 
has  generally  been  considered  as  liable  to  censure,  or  ra- 
ther, perhaps,  as  not  entitled  to  affection.  In  this  will, 
published  by  Mr.  Wart  on,  and  in  the  papers  connected 
with  it,  we  find  the  venerable  parent  complaining  of  "  un- 
kind children,**  as  he  calls  them,  'for  leaving  and  neglect- 
ing him  because  he  was  blind ;  and  we  see  him  compelled* 


MILTON.  135 

by  .their  injurious  conduct,  t6  appeal  against  thjeqa  even  to 
his  servants.  By  the  deposition  of  one  of  those. servants, 
it  is  certain,  that  his  complaint*  were  not  extorted  by  slight  • 
wrongs,  or  uttered  by  capricious  passion  on  trivial  provo- 
cations :  that  his  children,  with  the  exception  of  the 
youngest,,  would  occasionally  sell  his  books  to  the  dunghill 
women,  as  the  witness  calls  them.  That  these  daughters 
were  capable  of.  combining  with  the  maid-servant,  and  of 
advising  her  to  cheat  ber  master,  and  their  father,  in  her 
marketings;  and  that  one  of  them,  Mary,  on  being  told 
that  her  father  was  married,  replied,  "  that  was  no  news; 
but  if  she  could  bear  of  his  death,  that  would  be  something." 

Of  the  three  daughters  of  MiltQn,  Anne,  the  eldest, 
married  a  master-builder,  and  died  with  her  first  child  in 
her  lying-in;  Mary,  the.  second,  died  in  a  single  state: 
and  Deborah,  the  youngest,  married  Abraham  Clarke,  a 
weaver  in  Spitalfields.  She  had  seven  sons  and.  three 
daughters;  but  of  these  she  left,  a^t  her  decease,  only  Caleb, 
who,  marrying  ir>  the  East  Indies,  had  two  sons,,  whose  his* 
tory  cannot  be  traced  ;  and  Elizabeth,  who  married  Tho*> 
mas  Foster,  of  the  same  business  with  her -father,  and  had 
by  him  three  sons  and  four  daughters,  who  all  died  young 
and  without  .issue.  Mrs.  Foster  died  in  poverty  and  distress, 
on  the  ninth  of  May,  1754.  This  was  the  lady  for  whose 
benefit  "  Corn  us"  was  played  in  1750,  and  she  had  so  lit- 
tle acquaintance  with  diversion  or  gaiety,  that  she  did  not 
know  what  was  intended  when  a  benefit  was  ottered  hen  < 
The  profits  of  the  night  were  only  13Q/. ;  yet  this,  as  Dr# 
Johnson  remarks,  was  the  greatest  benefaction  that  "  Pa- 
radise Lost"  :ever  procured  the  author's  descendants, 

Milton  was  in  youth  so  eminently  beautiful  that  he  was 
called  the  lady  of  his  college.  His  hair,  which  was  of  a 
light  brown,  parted  at  the  foretop,  and  hung  down  upon 
his  shoulders,  according  to  the  picture  which  he. has  given 
of  Adam.  He  was  rather  below  the  middle  size,  but  vi- 
gorous  and  active,  fond  of  manly  sports,  and  even  skilful 
in  the. exercise  of  the  sword.  His  domestic  habits,,  as  far 
as  they  are  known,  were  those  of  a  severe  student.  He 
was  remarkably  temperate  both  in  eating  and  drinking.  In 
his  youth,  as  we  have  noticed,  he  studied  late  at  night ; 
but  afterwards  changed  his  hours,  and  became  a  very  early 
riser.  The  course  of  his  day  was  best  known  after  he  lost 
his  sight.  When  he  first  rose,  he  heard  a  chapter  in  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  and  then  studied  till  twelve;   then  took 

Vol.  XXII.  O 


194  MILTON; 

some  exercise  for  an  hour ;  then  dined,  then  played  on 
the  organ,  and  sung  or  heard  another  sing ;  studied  to  the 
hour  of  six,  and  entertained  his  visitors  till  eight ;  then 
supped,  and  after  a  pipe  of  tobacco  and  a  glass  of  water 
went  to  bed.  To  his  personal  character  there  seems  to 
have  been  little  to  object.  He  was  unfortunate  in  his 
family,  but  no  part  of  the  blame  rested  with  him.  His 
temper,  conduct,  morals,  benevolence,  were  all  such  as 
ought  to  have  procured  him  respect  His  religion  has 
been  a  fertile  subject  of  contest  among  his  biographers. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  in  early  life  a  Calvinist,  and  when 
be  began  to  hate  the  presbyterians,  to  have  leaned  towards 
Arminianism.  Whatever  were  bis  opinions,  no  sect  could 
boast  of  his  countenance  ;  for  after  leaving  the  church  he 
never  joined  in  public  worship  with  any  of  them. l 

MIMNERMUS,  an  ancient  Greek  poet,  was  born  either 
at  Colophon,  according  to  Strabo,  or  according  to  others 
at  Smyrna,  some  time  in  the  sixth  century  B.  C.  Strabo 
informs  us  that  he  was  a  musician,  as  well  as  a  writer  of 
elegies,  which  was  bis  chief  pursuit':  and  Nanno,  the  lady 
who  passes  for  his  mistress,  is  recorded  to  have  got  her 
livelihood  by  the  same  profession..  There  are  but  few  frag- 
ments of  his  poems  remaining,  yet  enough  to  shew  him  an 
accomplished  master  in  his  own  style.  His  temper  seerrts 
to  have  been  as  truly  poetical  as  his  writings,  wholly 
bent  on  love  and .  pleasure,  and  averse  to  the  cares  of 
common  business.  He  appears  to  have  valued  life  only 
as  it  could  afford  the  means  of  pleasure.  By  some  he  is 
said  to  have  been  the  inventor  of  the  pentameter,  but  va- 
rious specimens  of  that  verse  of  older  date  are  still  extant 
Mimnermus's  fragments  are  printed  by  Brunck,  in  his 
"  Analecta,"  and  in  the  "  Gnomici  Poetae."  f 

MINDERER  (Raymond),  a  physician  of  Augsburg,  of 
the  chemical  sect,  lived  in  the  early  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  He  was  eminent  as  a  military  physician, 
in  which  capacity  he.  served  several  campaigns,  and  also 
rose  to  high  reputation  and  practice  in  the  courts  of  Vienna 
and  Munich,  where  he  was  consulted  by  the  principal  no- 
bility. He  published  the  result  of  his  experience  relative 
to  the  diseases  of  armies,  in  the  German  language;  and  this 
work  was  translated  into  Latin,  with  the  title  of  u  Medicina 

1  Life  of  Milton  by  Dr.  Johnson,— and  Dr.  Symmons,  &c.  &c.  &c. 
*  Strabo. — Fabric.   Bibl.   Grace-  Athenecum,  vol.   II. — Burney's   IJist    of 
Music— Saxii  Onomast. 


M  I  N  D  E  R  E  R.  19* 

Militaris,  seu,  Liber  Castrensis,  euporista  et  facile  para* 
bilia  Medicamenta  continens,"  Vienna,  1620,  8vo.  This 
work  was  several  times  reprinted,  and  was  also  translated 
into  English  in  1674.  He  was  likewise  author  of  the  fol- 
lowing  works:  "  De  Pestilenti&  Liber  unus,"  ibid.  1608; 
*'  Aloedarium  Marocostinum,"  ibid.  1616,  and  afterwards 
republished  ;  €€  De  Calcantho,  seu  Vitriolo,  ejusque  qua* 
litate,  virtute,  et  viribus,"  1617.;  "  Threnodia  Medica, 
seu,  Planctus  Medicinse  lugentis,"  1619.  His  chemical 
reputation  is  evinced  by  the  connection  of  his  name  ia  the 
shops,  even  at  this  day,  with  the  neutral  salt,  the  acetate 
of  ammonia,  which  is  called  Mindererus'  spirit.1 

MINELLIUS  (John),  a  Dutch  grammarian,  born  at 
Rotterdam  about  1625,  was  occupied  for  the  chief  part  of 
bis  life  in  teaching  the  learned  languages,  and  died  about 
1683.  He  published  editions  of  Terence,  Sallust,  Virgil, 
Horace,  Florus,  Valerius  Maximus,  and  most  of  the  clas- 
sics, with  short  notes,  rather  for  the  aid  of  mere  school- 
boys, than  of  any  kind  of  utility  to  the  learned.  Most  of 
these  editions  are  also  printed  in  a  very  incorrect  manner, 
at  least  the  republications  of  them,  in  this  and  other 
countries.  * 

MINOT  (Laurence),  an  ancient  English  poet,  who 
flourished  in  the  fourteenth  century,  but  appears  to  have 
been  unknown  to  Leland,  Bale,  Pits,  and  Tanner,  was 
lately  discovered  by  Tyrwhitt,  and  edited  by  Mr.  Ritsoa  ia 
1794,  8vo.  The  discovery  was  owing  to  a  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance. Some  former  possessor  of  the  manuscript  in 
which  his  poems  are  contained  had  written  his  name,  Ri- 
chard Cbawser,  on  one  of  the  supernumerary  leaves.  The 
compiler  df  the  Cotton  catalogue,  printed  at  Oxford  in 
1696,  converted  this  signature  into  Geoffrey  Chaucer,  and 
therefore  described  the  volume  in  these  words,  "  Chaucer. 
Exemplar  emendate  scriptum.".  Mr.  Tyrwhitt,  whilst  he 
was  preparing  his  edition  of  the  Canterbury  Tales,  con- 
sulted this  manuscript,  and  thus  discovered  the  poems  of 
Laurence  Minot  The  versification  of  this  poet  is  uncom- 
monly easy  and  harmonious  for  the  period  in  which  he 
lived,  and  an  alliteration,  as  studied  as  that  of  Pierce  Plow- 
man, runs  through  all  his  varieties  of  metre.  He  has  not 
tbe  dull  prolixity  of  many  early  authors  ;  nor  do  we  find 

1  Eloy  Diet.  Hiit  de  Medicine. — Rees**  Cyclopaedia. 
•  Moreri. — Heumanni  Via  ad  Hilt.  Lit.— Saxii  Onomait, 

02 


196  MINOT. 

0 

in  his  remains  those  pictures  of  ancient  tirae^  and  manners, 
from  which  early  writers  derive  their  greatest  value:  In 
the  easy  flow  of  his  language  he  certainly  equals  Chaucer; 
but  here  the  merit  of  .Laurence  M mot  ends,  although  Mr. 
Ritson  endeavours  to  carry  it  much  farther. l 

MINUCIUS  FELIX  (Marcus),  a  father  of  the  primitive 
church,  flourished  in  the  third  century.  He  is  said  to  have 
been  an  African. by  birth,  but  little  is  known  of  his  history, 
except  that  he  was  a  proselyte  to  Christianity,  resided  at 
Rome,  and  followed  the  profession  of  a  lawyer.  He  is  now 
known  by  bis  excellent  dialogue,  entitled  "  Octavius."  At 
what  time  he  wrote  it  is  a  contested  point,  but  as  he  ap- 
pears to  have  imitated  Tertullian,  and  to  have  been  copied 
by  Cyprian  in  bis  treatise  "  De  idolorum  vanitate,"  it 
may  probably  be  referred  to  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Ca- 
racalla.  The  speakers  in  this  dialogue  are  Ca?cilius,  a 
heathen,  and  Octavius,  a  Christian  ;  and  Minucius,.as.  their 
common  friend,  is  chosen  to  moderate  between  the  two 
disputants.  Octavius  is  made  to  encounter  the  arguments 
of  Csecilius,  and  maintains  the  unity  of  God,  asserts  his 
providence,  vindicates  the  manners  of  Christians,  and 
partly  attempts  to  explain  their  tenets,  and  partly  refers  a 
more  ample  consideration  of  them  to  some  future  oppor- 
tunity of  discourse.  It  is  a  learned,  elegant,  and  ingenious 
performance,  although  critical  objections  may  be  made  to 
the  form  of  the  dialogue,  and  to  some  of  the  sentiments. 
This  work  was,  for  a  considerable  time,  attributed  to  Ar- 
nobius;  but  in  L  5 6Q,  Francis  Baldwin*  a  learned  lawyer, 
published  it  at  Heidelberg,  in  8vo,  and  made  the  disco* 
very  in  a  preliminary  dissertation,  that  Minucius  wa$  its 
true  author.  It  has,  since  that  time,  gone  through  many 
editions,  of  which  the  best  is  that  printed  at  Cambridge 
in  1712,  with  the  dissertation  of  Baldwin  prefixed,  a#d 
"  Commodiani  Instructiones  adversus  Gentium  Deos," 
added  in  the  .way  of  appendix.  We  have  likewise  an 
excellent  translation  of  it,  with  notes  and  illustrations, 
published  by  sir  D.  Dalrymple,  lord  Hailes,  in  1781,  from 
the  preface  to  which  part  of  the  above  account  is  taken.  * 

MIRABAUD  (John  Baptist),  a  learned  man,  who  held 
the  place  of  perpetual  secretary  to  the  French  academy, 
was  born  in  Provence  in  1674,  and  lived  to  the  age  of 

»  Ritson's  edit— Crit.  Rev.  and  Brit.  Grit  for  1797.  , 

*  Cave,  vol.  I.— -Lord  Hailes's  preface,— Larduer's  Works.— Saxii  Onoomit 


M  I  R  A  B  A  U  D. 


197. 


eighty-six.  He  is  chiefly  known,  as  an  author,  by  1.  «A 
translation  of  Tasso's  Jerusalem  delivered/'  which  has 
gone  through  several  editions,  but  has  since  been  super- 
seded by  a  better,  written  by  M.  le  Brun.  Mirabaud  took 
upon  him,  rather  too  boldly,  to  retrench  or  alter  what  he 
thought  unpleasing  in  his  author.  2.  "  A  translation  of 
the  Orlando  Furioso,"  which  has  the  same  faults.  He 
wrote  also  a  little  tract  entitled  "  Alphabet  de  la  Fge  Gra- 
de use,"  1734,  12ibo.  His  eulogiurn  at  the  academy  was 
drawn  up  by  M.  de  BufFon,  and  is  full  of  high  encomiums.1 
MIRABEAU  (Honore'  Gabriel,  comte  de),  well 
known  both  by  his  writings,  and  the  active  part  he  took  in 
bringing  about  the  French  revolution,  was  born  in  1749, 
of  a  noble  family.  Throughout  life  he  displayed  a  spirit 
averse  to  every  restraint,  and  was  one  of  those  unhappy 
geniuses  in  whom  the  most  brilliant  talents  serve  only  as  a 
scourge  to  themselves  and  alt  around  them.  It  is  told  by 
his  democratical  panegyrists,  as  a  wonderful  proof  of  fa- 
mily tyranny,  under  the  old  government,  that  not  less  thai* 
sixty- seven  lettres  de  cachet  had  been  obtained  by  Mira- 
beau the  father*  against  this  son,  and  others  of  his  rela- 
tives'. It  proves  at  least  as  much,  what  many  anecdotes 
confirm,  that,  for  his  share  of  them,  the  son  was  not  less 
indebted  to  his  own  ungovernable  disposition,  than  to  the 
s&evhy  of  Ms  parent.  The,  whole  course  of  his  youth  was 
passed  in  this  manner.  Extravagance  kept  him  always 
poor ;  and  this  species  of  paternal  interference  placed  him 
very  frequently  in  prison.  It  may  be  supposed  also,  that 
the  part  taken  by  the  government  in  these  unpleasant  ad- 
monitions, did  not  tend  to  attach  young  Mirabeau  to  that 
system.  The  talents  of  Mirabeau  led  him  frequently  to 
employ  his  pen,  and  his  publications  form  the  chief  epochas 
of  his  life.  His  first  publication  was,  1.  "  Essai  sur  le 
Despotisme,"  "  An  Essay  on  Despotism,"  in  8vo.  '  Next, 

*  Diet.  Hist. 


*  His  father,  Victor  Biquetti,  mar- 
quis of  Mirabeau,  was  a  political  wri- 
ter, and  one  of  the  sect  of  the  oeco- 
nomistt.  His  first  literary  work,  en- 
titled "  JL'Ami  des  Homines,"  pub- 
fiahed  in  1755,  In  three  volumes,  con- 
tains many*  useful  ideas  on  rural  and 
political,  economy /and  atone  time  was 
such  a  favourite  in  France  as  to  pro- 
cure him  the  epithet  of  "  Mirabeau 
I'ami'des  homines." .  He  afterwards 
wrote  in  favour  of  provincial  admini- 


strations, and  published  "  Tbeorie  da 
l'lmpdt:"  but  many  of  the  principles 
advanced  here  were  thought  so  dan- 
gerous that  be  was  for  a  short  time  im* 
prisoned  in  the  Bastille.  He  died  in 
1790,  at  the  commencement  of  the  re- 
volution. His  writings  were  published 
collectively  in  eight  volumes  lgmo* 
with  the  exception  of  one,  entkle<| 
"  Hommes  acelebrer,"  in  two  vol  antes 
8vo,  which  his  friend  Father  BoSQovtek 
printed  at  Bassano. 


15*  MIRABEAU, 

in  one  of  his  confinements,  he  wrote,  2.  a  work  ?rOn 
Lettres  de  Carfiet,"  2  vols.  8vo.  3.  "  Considerations  sur 
l'ordre  de  Cincinnatus,"  8vo ;  a  remonstrance  against  the 
order  of  Cincinnatus,  proposed  atone  time  to  be  established 
in  America.  The  public  opinion  in  America  favoured  this 
remonstrance,  and  it  proved  effectual.  4.  His  next  work 
was  in  favour  of  the  Dutcbt  when  Joseph  II,  demanded  the 
opening  of  the  Scheld,  in  behalf  of  the  Braban^ons.  .  It  is. 
entitled,  "  Doutes  sur  la  liberty  de  PEscaut,"  8vo.  5. 
"  Lettre  a  Pempereur  Joseph  II.  sur  son  r£glement  con- 
cernant  1' Emigration,'1  a  pamphlet  of  forty  pages,  in  8vo. 
6.  "  Be  la  Caisse  d'Escompte,"  a  volume  in  8vo,  written 
against  that  establishment.  7.  "  De  la  Banque  d'Espagne," 
8vo ;  a  remonstrance  against  establishing  a  French  bank  in 
Spain.  A  controversy  arising  on  this  subject,  he  wrote 
again  upon  it.  8.  Two  pamphlets  on  the  monopoly  of  the 
water  company  in  Paris.  Soon  after  writing  these  he 
went  to  Berlin,  which  was  in  1786,  and  was  there  when 
Frederic  II.  died.  On  this  occasion  also  he  took  up  his 
pen,  and  addressed  to  his  successor  a  tract  entitled,  9. 
"  Lettre  remise  a  Frederic  Guillaume  II.  roi  regnant  de 
Prusse,  le  jour  de  son  avenement  au  trine."  This  con* 
tained,  says  his  panegyrist,  "non  pas  des  £loges  de  lui, 
uiais  des  £loges  du  peuple;  non  pas  des  vceux  pour  lui, 
mais  des  vceux  pour  le  peuple  ;  non  pas  des  conseils  pour 
lui,  mais  des  conseils  pour  le  bonheur  du  peuple." 

Mirabeau  was  still  at  Berlin  when  he  heard  of  the  assem- 
bly of  notables  convened  in  France,  and  then  foretold  that 
it  would  soon  be  followed  by  a  meeting  of  the  states.  At 
this  period  he  published  a  volume  against  the  stockjobbing, 
then  carried  to  a  great  height,  entitled,  10.  "  Denoncia- 
tion  de  Pagiotage  au  roi,  et  a  1' assemble  des  notables," 
8vo.  A  lettre  de  cachet  was  issued  against  him  in  conse* 
quence  of  this  publication,  but  he  eluded  pursuit,  and 
published  a  pamphlet  as  a  sequel  to  the  book.  His  next 
work  was  against  M.  Necker.  11."  Lettre  a  M.  de  Cre- 
telle,  sur  ('administration  de  M.  Necker,"  a  pamphlet  in 
8 vo.  12.  A  volume,  in  8vo,  against  the  Stadthoidership ; 
^  Ajux  Bataves,  sur  le  Stadthouderat."  13.  "  Observations 
sur  la  maison  de  force  app£ll£e  BicStre,"  an  8vo  pamphlet. 
14.  Another  tract,  entitled  "  Conseils  a  un  jeune  prince 
qui  sent  la  n£cessite  de  refaire  son  education."  15.  He 
now  proceeded  to  a  larger  and  more  arduous  work  than  any 
h%  had  yet  published,  on  the  Prussian  monarchy  uuder 


MIRABEAU.  19? 

Frederic  the  Great,  "De  la  Monarchic  Prussienne  sous 
Fr&teric  le  Grand/'  4  vols.  4to,  or  eight  in  Svo.  In  this 
work  he  undertakes  to  define  precisely  how  a  monarchy 
should  be  constituted.  When  the  orders  were  issued  for 
convening  the  states-general,  Mirabeau  returned  into  Pro- 
vence, and  at  the  same  time  published,  16.  "  Histoire  se- 
crette  de  la  cour  defterlin,"  two  volumes  of  letters  on  the 
secret  history  of  the  court  of  Berlin.  This  work  was  con- 
demned by  the  parliament ■'  of  Paris,  for  the  unreserved 
manner  in  which  it  delivered  the  characters  of  many  foreign 
princes.  As  the  elections  proceeded,  he  was  chosen  at 
once  for  Marseilles,  and  for  Aix ;  but  the  former  being  a 
commercial  town,  which  seemed  to  require  a  representative 
particularly  conversant  in  such  business,  Mirabeau  made 
his  choice  for  Aix. 

In  consequence  of  this  appointment  he  went  to  Paris. 
The  part  he  took  there  was  active,  and  such  as  tended  in 
general  to  accelerate  all  the  violences  of  the  revolution. 
He  now  published  periodically,  171  his  "  Lettres  a  ses 
commettans,"  Letters  to  his  constituents,  which  form, 
when  collected,  5  vols.  Svo.  It  is  supposed  that  the  fatal 
measure  of  the  junction  of  the  three  orders  into  one  na- 
tional assembly,  was  greatly  promoted  by  these  letters. 
The  public  events  of  these  times,  and  the  part  taken  in 
them  by  Mirabeau,  are  the  subject  of  general  history.  He 
lived  to  see  the  constitution  of  1789  established,  but  not 
to  see  its  consequences,  the  destruction  of  the  monarchy, 
the  death  of  the  king,  and  the  ruin  of  all  property.  He 
was  accused,  as  well  as  the  duke  of  Orleans,  of  hiring  the 
mob  which  attacked  Versailles  on  the  5th  and  6  th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1789  ;  but  with  him  was  also  acquitted  by  the  tribunal 
of  the  Chatelet.  The  dominion  of  his  eloquence  in  the 
national  assembly  had  long  been  absolute,  and  on  the  29th 
of  January  1791,  he  was  elected  president.  At  the  latter 
end  of  March,  in  the  same  year,  he  was  seized  by  a 
fever,  and  died  on  the  second  of  April.  The  talents  of 
Mirabeau  will  not  be  doubted ;  the  use  he  made  of  them 
will  be  long  lamented,  and  would  probably  have  been  re- 
gretted by  himself,  had  be  lived  only  a  few  months  longer  ; 
unless  we  may  believe  that  with  a  secret  attachment  to 
monarchical  government,  he  would  have  been  able  to  exert 
an  influence  sufficient  to  prevent  the  excesses  which  fol- 
lowed h\$  death.  * 

}  Discours  preliminaire,  prefixed  tq  hit  Worki. 


300  M  I  R  JE  U  S. 

» 

<■  MIRANDULA.     See  PIC  US. 

MIR2EUS  (Aubertus),  a  learned  German,  was  born  at 
Brussels  in  1573;  and  was  first  almoner  and  librarian  of 
Albert,  archduke  of  Austria.  He  was  an  ecclesiastic,  and 
laboured  all  his  life  for  the  good  of  the  church  and  of  bis 
country.  He  died  in  1640.  His  works  are,  1."  Efogiaillus- 
trium  Belgii  scriptorum,"  1609,  4to.  2.  "  Opera  Historica 
et  Dipiomatica."  This  is  a  collection  of  charters  and  diplo- 
mas, relating  to  the  Low  Countries.  The  best  edition  is 
that  of  1724,  4  vols,  in  folio,  by  Foppens,  who  has  made 
notes,  corrections,  and  additions  to  it  5.  *'  Rerum  BeU 
gjcarum  Chronicon ;"  useful  for  the  history  of  the  Low 
Countries.  4'.  "  De  rebus  Bohemicis,"  12mo.  5.  "  Bib- 
liotheca  Ecclesiastica."  6.  "  Vita  Justi  Lipsii,"  &c.  Pe- 
netration, and  exactness  in  facts  and  citations,  are  usually 
esteemed  the  characteristics  of  this  writer. * 

MISSON  (Francis  Maximilian),  a  distinguished  law- 
yer, whose  pleadings  before  the  parliament  of  Paris  in 
favour  of  the  reformers,  bear  genuine  marks  of  eloquence 
and  ability,  retired  into  England  after  the  repeal  of  the 
edict  of  Nantes,  where  he  became  a  strenuous  assertor  of 
the  protestant  religion.  In  1687  and  1688,  he  went  on 
his  travels  into  Italy,  in  quality  of  governor  to  an  English 
nobleman.  An  account  of  the  country,  and  of  the  occur- 
rences of  the  time  in  which  he  remained  in  it,  was  pub- 
lished* at  the  Hague,  in  3  vols.  12mo,  under  the  title  of 
"  A  New  Voyage  to  Italy."  L'abbe  du  Fresnoy,  speaking 
of  this  performance,  observes,  "  that  it  is  well  written ; 
but  that  the  author  has  shewn  himself  too  credulous,  and 
as  ready  to  Relieve  every  insinuation  to  the  disadvantage 
of  the  Roman  catholics,  as  they  generally  are  to  adopt 
whatever  can  reflect  disgrace  upon  the  protestants."  The 
translation  of  this  work  into  the  English  language  has  been 
enlarged  with  many  additions:  the  original  has  /been  se- 
veral times  reprinted.  Addison,  in  his  preface  to  his  re- 
marks on  the  different  parts  of  Italy,  says,  that  "Mons. 
Misson  has  written  a  more  correct  account  of  it,  in  general, 
than  any  before  him,  as  he  particularly  excelled  in  the 
plan  of  the  country,  which  he  has  given  us  in  true  and 
lively  colours.'9  He  published,  after  his  arrival  in  Eng- 
land, "  The  Sacred  Theatre  >at  Cevennes,  or  an  account 
of  Prophecies  and  Miracles  performed  in  that,  part  of  Lan- 

1  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist. 


M  I  S  S  O  N.  SOf 

guedoc  :*'  this  was  printed  at  London  in  1707 ;  and,  accord- 
ing 4o  the  Roman  catholic  writers,  is  full  of  fanaticism  and 
ridiculous  stories.  He  also  left  behind  him  "The  Obser- 
vations and  Remarks,  of  a  Traveller, *'  in  12mo,  published 
at  the  Hague,  by  Vanderburen.     He  died  at  London,  Jan* 

MISSY.     See  DE  MISSY. 

MITCHELL  (Sir  Andrew),  knight  of  the  bath,  and  a' 
distinguished  ambassador  at  the  court  of- Berlin,  was  the 
only  child  of  the  rev.  William  Mitchell,  formerly  of  Aber^ 
deen,  but  then  one  of  the  ministers  of  St.  Giles*'*,  com- 
monly called  the  high  church  of  Edinburgh.  The  time  of 
his  birth  is  not  specified,  but  he  is  said  to  have  been  mar* 
ried  in  1715,  when  very  young,  to  a  lady  who  died  foui* 
years  after  in  child-birth,  and  whose  loss  he  felt  with  so 
much  acuteness,  as  to  be  obliged  to  discontinue  the  study 
of  the  law,  for  which  his  father  bad  designed  him,  ana- 
divert  his  grief  by  travelling,  amusements,  &c.  This  mode 
of  life  is  said  to  have  been  the  original  cause  of  an  exten- 
sive acquaintance  with  the  principal  noblemen  and  gentle*' 
men  in  North  Britain,  by  whom  he  was  esteemed  for  sense, 
spirit,  and  intelligent  conversation.  Though  his  progress 
in  the  sciences  was  but  small,  yet  no  person  had  a  greater 
regard  for  men  of  learning,  and  be  particularly  cultivated: 
the  acquaintance  of  the  clergy,  and  professors  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Edinburgh.  About  1736  he  appears  to  Jiave 
paid  considerable  attention  to  mathematics  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  celebrated  Maclaurin ;  and  soon  after  began 
bis  political  career,  as  secretary  to  the  marquis  of  Twee- 
dale,  who  was  appointed  minister  for  the  affairs  of  Scotland 
in  1741.  He  became  also  acquainted  with  the  earl  of  Stair, 
and  it  was  owing  to  his  application  to  that  nobleman  that 
Br.  (afterwards,  sir  John)  Pringle,  was  in  1742  kppointed 
physician  to  the  British  ambassador  at  the  Hague. 

Though  the  marquis  of  Tweedale  resigned  the  place  of 
secretary  of  state,  in  consequence  of  the  rebellion  in  1745, 
yet  Mr.  Mitchell  still  kept  in  favour.  He  had  taken  care, 
during  that  memorable  period,  to  keep  up  a  correspond-1 
ence  with  some  eminent  clergymen  in  Scotland,  and  from 
time  to  time  communicated  the  intelligence  he  received  y 
which  assiduity  was  rewarded  with  a  seat  in  the  House  of 
Commons  in  1747,   as  representative   for  the  burghs  of: 

1  Moreri.-— Diet.  Hist.  .   % 


402  MITCHELL. 

Bamff,  Elgio,  Cullen,  Inverurie,  and  Kintore*  In  1751 
be  was  appointed  his  majesty's  resident  at  Brussels,  where, 
continuing  two  years,  he  in  1753  came  to  London,  was 
created  a  knight  of  the  bath,  and  appointed  ambassador 
extraordinary  and  plenipotentiary  at  the  court  of  Berlin. 
There,  by  his  polite  behaviour,  and  a  previous  acquaint- 
ance with  marshal  Keith,  he  acquired  sufficient,  influence 
with  his  Prussian  majesty  to  detach  him  from  the  French 
interest.  This  event  involved  the  court  of  France  in  the 
greatest  losses,  arising  not  only  from  vast  subsidies  to  the 
courts  of  Vienna,  Petersburgh,  and  Stockholm,  but  also 
from  the  loss  of  numerous  armies.  Sir  Andrew  generally, 
accompanied  the  great  Frederick  through  the  course  of  his 
several  campaigns,  and  when,  on  the  memorable  12th  of 
August,  1759,  the  Prussian  army  was  totally  routed  by 
count  Soltikoff,  the  Russian  general,  it  was  with  difficulty 
that  he  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  quit  the  king's  tent, 
even  while  all  was  in  confusion. 

.  From  a  very  recent  writer,  we  have  some  account  of  his 
mode  of  living  and  general  conduct  while  at  Berlin,  which 
was  highly  honourable  to  his  sense  and  spirit.  'When  he 
first  arrived  at  Berlin,  he  had  occasioned  some  perplexity  to 
those  who  invited  him  to  their  houses,  for  he  played  no 
game  of  chance,  so  that  his  hosts  constantly  said  to  each 
other,  "  What  shall  we  do  with  this  Englishman,  who 
never  plays  at  cards?9'  In  a  short  time,  however,  the 
contest  was,  who  should  leave  the  card -table  to  enjoy  the 
conversation  of  sir  Andrew  Mitchell,  whose  understanding, 
they  discovered,  was  no  less  admirable  than  the  virtues  of 
his  character.  His  bon-mots  came,  into  circulation,  and 
were  long  retailed.  Thiebault  has  recorded  a  few  whicb^ 
as  he  says,  explain  rather  his  principles  than  his  under- 
standing. On  one  occasion  that  three  English  mails  were 
due,  the  king  said  to  him,  at  the  levee,  "  Have  you  not 
the  spleen,  Mr.  Mitchell,  when  the  mail  is  thus  delayed  ?" — 
"  No,  Sire,  not  when  it  is  delayed,  but  often  enough  when 
it  arrives  duly.9/  This  alludes  to  bis  being  frequently  dis- 
satisfied with  his  own  court.  During  the  seven  years'  war, 
in  which,  as  we  have  already  noticed,  he  constantly  served 
immediately  under  Frederic,  the  English  government  bad 
promised  Frederic  to  send  a  fleet  to  the  Baltic,  for'  the 
protection  of  commerce,  and  to  keep  off  the  Swedes  and 
Russians  \  but  as  this  fleet  never  made  its  appearance,  the 
Swedes  were  enabled  to  trausport  their  army  without  in- 


MITCHELL.  205 

terruption  to  Pomerania,  together  with  all  the  necessaries 
for  its  support,  and  the  Russians  conveyed  provisions  for 
their  troops  by  sea,  and  laid  siege  to  Colberg,  &c.  All 
this  could  not.fail  to  give  umbrage  to  Frederic,  and  he  in- 
cessantly complained  to  sir  Andrew,  who  found  himself 
embarrassed  what  reply  to  make.  At  length  the  ambassa- 
dor, who  had  before  been  daily  invited  to  dine  with  the 
king,  received  no  longer  this  mark  of  attention ;  the  gene- 
rals, meeting  him  about  the  king's  hour  of  dinner,  said  to 
him,  "It  is  dinner-time,  M.  *  Mitchell.' ' — "Ah!  gentle- 
men,", replied,  he,  "no  fleet,  no  dinner!"  This  was  re- 
peated to  Frederic,  and  the  invitations  were  renewed. 
Frederic  in  his  fits  of  ill-humour  was  known  to  exercise  his 
wit  even  at  the  expence  of  his  allies;  and  the  English 
minister  at  home  expressed  to  sir  Andrew  Mitchell  a  wish 
that  he  would  include  some  of  these  splenetic  effusions  in 
his  official  dispatches.  Sir  Andrew,  however,  in  reply, 
stated  the  distinction  between  such  kind  of  intelligence, 
and  that  which  properly  belonged  to  his  office;  and  the 
application  was  not  repeated,  by  which  he  was  saved  from 
the  disgrace,  for  such  be  considered  it,  of  descending  to 
the  littlenesses  of  a  mere  gossip  and  tale-bearer.  We  ijiall 
only,  add  one  more  repartee  of  sir  Andrew  Mitchell,  be- 
cause, if  we  mistake  not,  it  has  been  repeated  as  the  pro- 
perty qf  other  wits.  After  the  affair  of  Port  Mahon,  the 
king  of  Prussia  said  to  him,.  "  You  have  made  a  bad  be- 
ginning, M.  Mitchell.  What!  your  fleet  beaten,  and  Port 
Mahon  taken  in  your  first  campaign !  The  trial  in  which 
you  are  proceeding  against  your  admiral  Byng  is  a  bad 
plaister  for  the  malady.  You  have  made  a  pitiful  cam- 
paign of  it;  this  is  certain." — "  Sire,  we  hope,  with  God's 
assistance,  to  make  a.  better  next  year."—"  With  God?* 
assistance,  say  you,  Sir  ?  I  did  not  know  you  had  such  an 
ally." — "  We  rely  much  upon  him,  though  he  costs  us.  less 
than  our  other  allies." 

.  In  1765,  sir  Andrew  came  over  to  England  for  the  re-, 
covery  of  bis  health,  which  was  considerably  impaired, 
and  after  spending  some  time  atTuubridge  Wells,  returned 
in  March  1766  to  Berlin,  where  he  died  Jan.  28,  1771. 
The  court  of  Prussia*  honoured  his  funeral  with  their  pre- 
sence, and  the  king  himself,  from  a  balcony,  is  said  to 
have  beheld  the  procession  with  tears.1 

i  St  Jaipes'*  Chronicle,  Feb.  1771.— Thieliauli's  Original  Auecd©tti>f  Fre- 
deric II.  vol.  II.  p.  V,  &c» 


204  MITCHELL. 

MITCHELL  (Joseph),  was  the  son  of  a  stone-cutter  ift 
North- Britain,  and  was  born  about  1684.  Gibber  tells  us 
that  he  received  an  university  education  while  he  remained 
in  that  kingdom,  but  does  not  specify  where.  He  quitted 
his  own  country,  however,  and  repaired  to  London,  with 
a  view  of  improving  his.  fortune!  Here  he  got  into  favout 
with  the  earl  of  Stair  and  sir  Robert  Walpole ;  on  the  laty 
ter  of  whom  he  was  for  great  pari  of  his  life  almost  entirely 
dependent.  He  received,  indeed,  so  many  obligations 
froih  that  open-handed  statesman,  and0  from  a  sense  of 
gratitude  which  seems  to  'haw  been  strongly  characteristic 
of  his  disposition,  was  so  zealous  in  his  interest,  that  he 
Was  distinguished  by  the  title  of  "  Sir  Robert  Walpole's 
poet.**  Notwithstanding  this  valuable  patronage,  his  natu- 
ral dissipation  t>f  temper,  his  fondness  for  pleasure,  and 
eagerness  in  the  gratification  of  every  irregular  appetite, 
threw  him  into  perpetual  distresses,  and  all  those  uneasy 
situations  which  are  the  inevitable  consequences  of  extra- 
vagance. Nor  does  it  appear  that,  after  having  experi- 
enced, more  than  once,  the  fatal  effects  of  those  dangerous 
follies,  he  thought  of  correcting  his  conduct  at  a  time  he 
had  it  in  his  power:  for  when,  by  the  death  of  his  wife's 
uncle,  several  thousand  pounds  devolved  to  him,  instead 
of  discharging  those  debts  which  he  had  already  contracted,' 
he  lavished  the  whole  away,  in  the  repetition  of  his  former 
follies.  As  to  the  particulars  of  his  history,  there  are  not 
many  on  record,  for  his  eminence  in  public  character  not 
rising  to  such  an  height  as  to  make  the  transactions  of  his 
life  important  to  strangers,  and  the  follies  of  his  private 
behaviour  inducing  those  who  were  intimate  with  him, 
rather  to  conceal  than  publish  his  actions,  there  is  a  cloud 
of  obscurity  hanging  over  them,  which  is  neither  easy, 
nor  indeed  much  worth  while,  to  withdraw  from  them.' 
His  genius  was  of  the  third  or  fourth  rate,  yet  he  lived  in 
good  correspondence  with  most  of  the  eminent  wits  of  his* 
time*,  particularly  with  Aaron  Hill,  who  on  a  particular 
occasion  finding  himself  unable  to  relieve  him  by  pecu- 
niary assistance,  presented  him  with  the  profits  arid  repu- 
tation also  of  a  successful  dramatic  piece,  in   one  act, 

*  His  oorespondence  with  Thomson  .      "  Beauties  and  fault*  so  thick  lie 
most  be  excepted.     Gibber  informs  us  ■  scatter'd  here, 

that  as  soon  as  "  Winter"  was  pub*         Those  I  could  read,    if  these  were* 
lished,  Thomson  presented  a  copy  to  not  so  near." 

Mitchell,  who  gave  him  his  opinion  of 
it  in  the  following  couplet :  To  this  Thomson  answered,  * 


MITCHELL.  205 

entitled  "  The  Fatal  Extravagance."  It  was  pcted  and 
printed  in  Mitchell's  name  ;  but  he  was  ingenuous  enpugh 
to  undeceive  the  worl.d  with  regard  to  its  true  author,  .and 
on  every  occasion  acknowledged  the  obligations  be  lay 
under  to  Hill.  The  dramatic  pieces,  which  appear  under 
this  gentleman's  name*  are,  1/  "  The  Fatal  Extravagance, 
a  tragedy,"  1721,  8vo.  2.  "The  Fatal  Extravagance,  a 
tragedy,  enlarged,"  1725,  12 mo.  .  3.  "  The  Highland  Fair, 
ballad  opera, "  1731,  8vo.  The  latter  of  these  is  really 
Mitchell's,  and  is  not  without  merit.  This  author  died 
Feb.  6,  1738;  and  Cibber  gives  the  following  character  of 
him  :  "  He  seems  to  have  been  a  poet  of  the  third  rate; 
he  has  seldom  reached  the  sublime ;  bis  humour,  in  which 
lie  more  succeeded,  is  not  strong  enough  to  last ;  his  ver- 
sification holds  a  state  of  mediocrity;  he  possessed  but 
little,  invention ;  and  if  he  was  not  a  bad  rhimester,  h$ 
cannot  be  denominated  a  fine  poet,  for  there  ar§  byt  few 
marks  of  genius  in  his  writings."  His  poems  were,  printed 
1729,  in  2  vols.  8V0.1 

MITTARELLI  (John  Benedict),  a  learned  monk  and 
historian  of  the  order  of  the  Camaldoli,  was  born  at  Venice 
Sept  10,  1708,  and  after  a  course  of  study,  during  which 
he  distinguished  himself  by  arduous  application,  and  ao 
quired  the  fame  of  great  learning,  he  became?  in  .1732, 
professor  of  philosophy  and  theology  in  the  monastery  pf 
St  Michael  at  Venice.  Being  also  appointed  master  of 
the  novices,  be  remained  in  that  office  until  .1747,  when 
he  removed  to  Faenza,  as  chancellor  of  his  order.  Here 
he  first  began  to  form  the  plan  and  cpllect  materials  fpc 
his  celebrated  work,  the  "  Annates  Camaldulenses,"  in 
which  he  had  the  assistance  of  father  Auselm  Costadoni. 
In  1756  he  wafr  chosen  abb6  of  his  order  in  the  state  of 
Venice,  and  became,  of,  course,  head  of  the.  monastery  of 
St.  Michael.  In  1764  h$  was  appointed  genera}  of  his 
order,  and  went  to  Rome,  where  he  was  received  with 
every  mark  of  respect  by  pope  Clemept  XIII.  He  died  at 
St.  Michael's  Aug,  14,  1777,     His  annals  were  published 

*« Why  all  not  faults,  injurious  Mit-  Upon  a  friend's  remonstrating  to  Mr. 

cfaell?  why  Thomson,     that    the     expression    of 

Appears  one  beauty  to  thy  blasted  ••  blasted  eye"  would  look  like  a  per^ 

eye  ?  sonal  reflection,  as  Mitchell  really  had 

Damnation  worse  than  thine,  if  worse  that  misfortune,  he  changed  the  epi- 

can  be,  thet,  perhaps  not  much  for  the  better* 

Is  all  I  ask  and  all  I  want  from  thee."     iuto  blasting.  w  .^  ^^ 

Cnm'i  Ufc  of  Thomson. 

*  Biofr,  Dram.— Cibber's  Lives. 


L 


S06  MITTAfiELLI. 

in  1773,  under  the  title  of  "  Annates  Camaldulenses  or* 
dinis  S. :  Benedict!  ab  anno  907  ad  annum  1764,  &c." 
Venice,  9  vols.  fol.  His  other  works  were,  1.  "  Memorie 
del  montstero  della  santissima  Trinita  in  Faenza,"  Faenza, 
1749.  2.  "  Ad  scriptores  rerum  Italicarum  CI.  Muratorrt 
accessiones  histories  FaventinaD,"  dec.  Venice,  1771.  5. 
u  De  litteratura  Faventinorum,  sive  de  viris  doctis,  et 
tcriptoribus  urbis  Faventinse  (Faenza),  appendix  ad  acces- 
siones hist.  Faventinas,"  Venice,  1775.  6.  "  Bibliotheca 
codicum  manuscriptorum  monasterit  8.  Michaelis  Vene- 
tiarum,  cum  appendice  librorum  impressorum  seculi  XV." 
ibid.  1779,  fol.1 

MOINE  (Francis  le),  an  ingenious  French  painter, 
born  at  Paris  about  1688,  was  the  pupil  of  Galloche. 
Though  born  without  the  least  traces  of  a  genius  for  paint- 
ing, it  is  incredible  what  lengths  his  perseverance,  and 
continual  reflections  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  his  art, 
carried  him.  His  manner  of  designing  was  never  correct* 
but  it  was  pleasing ;  and  the  heads  of  his  women  remark- 
ably graceful.  His  best  pictures  are,  the  nativity  at  S. 
Roche ;  a  transfiguration ;  the  flight  into  Egypt ;  a  St; 
John  in  the  desert  at  St.  Eustace's;  the  assumption  of  the 
virgin,  in  fresco,  at  St.  Sulpice;  the  conversion  of  St 
Paul  at  St  Germain- des-Pres ;  the  apotheosis  of  Hercules 
at  Versailles,  the  saloon  of  which  he  was  four  years  in 
painting,  and,  for  reward,  the  king  granted  him  a  pension 
of  3000  livres.  The  end  of  his  days  was  tarnished  by  the 
crime  of  suicide,  which  he  committed  in  a  melancholy  fit 
June  4,  1787,  aged  49  years.8 

MOINE  {Stephen  le),  a  very  learned  French  minister 
of  the  Protestant  religion,  was  born  at  Caen  in  1624.  He 
became  extremely  skilled  in  the  Greek,  Latin,  and  Orieh- 
tal  tongues,  and  professed  divinity  with  high  reputation  at 
Leyden,  in  which  city  be  died  in  16&B,  Several  disserta* 
tions  of  his  are  printed  together,  and  entitled  "  Varia  sacra,'* 
in  2  vols.  4to ;  besides  which,  he  wrote  other  works. 3 

MOINE  (Peter  le),  a  French  poet,  born  at  Chaumoit 
in  Bassigny  in  1602,  was  admitted  into  the  society  and 
confidence  of  the  Jesuits,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
Jesuit  of  France  who  acquired  any  fame  by  writing  poetry 
in  his  native  language.  He  was  not,  however,  a  poet  of 
the  first  order j  he  was  rather  a  college  student,  possessed 

*  Fabroni  Vitas  Italor.  vo!.  V.— Diet  Hist. 

*  -ArgenvMe,  vol.  IV.  *  Morm.^Dict.  Hitt, 


t 


MOINE.  207 

of  an  ardent  imagination,  but  devoid  of  taste ;  who,  instead 
of  restraining  the  hyperbolical  flights  of  his  genius,  in- 
dulged them  to  the  utmost.  His  greatest  work  was  "  Saint 
Louis,  ou  la  Couronne  reconquise  sur  les  Infidelles,"  an 
epic  poem,  in  eighteen  books.  Bdileau  being  asked  his 
opinion  of  him,  answered,  "that  he  was  too  wrong-headed 
lo  be  much  commended,  and  too  much  of  a  poet  to  be 
strongly  condemned.9'  He  wrote  many  other  poems  of  a 
smaller  kind,  and  several  works  in  prose,  on  divinity,  and 
other  subjects.     He  died  at  Paris,  the22dofAug.  1672.1 

MOIVRE.     See  DE  MOIVRE. 

MOKET  (Richard),  warden  of  All  Souls  college,  Ox- 
ford, was  born  in  1578  in  Dorsetshire,  and  educated  first 
at  Brasenose  college,  whence  in ,  1599  he  was  elected  a 
fellow  of  All  Souls,  being  then  four  years  standing  yi  the 
degree  of  B.  A.  Afterwards  he  took  his  master's  degree, 
and  entered  into  holy  orders.  He  became  domestic  chap- 
lain to  archbishop  Abbot,  and  in  Dec.  1610  was  instituted 
to  the  rectory  of  St.  Clement's,  Eastcheap,  which  he  re- 
signed in  December  following.  In  1611  be  was  made  rec- 
tor of  St.  Michael,  Crooked-lane,  but  resigned  it  in  June 
1614*  in  consequence  of  having  been  in  April  preceding, 
elected  warden  of  All  Souls,  on  which  occasion  he  took  his 
degree  of  D.  D.  He  held  afterwards  the  rectory  of  Monks 
Risborow,  in  the  county  of  Buckingham,  and  of  Newing- 
ton,  near  Dorchester,  in  Oxfordshire.  He  was  one  of  the 
king'  commissioners  in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  and  died  July 
59  1618,  in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age.  Wood  seems  to 
insinuate  that  his  death  was  hastened  by  the  treatment  his 
work  received.  This  was  a  folio  published  at  London  in 
1616,  containing  a  Latin  translation  of  the  Liturgy,  Cate- 
chisms, 39  articles,  ordination  book,  and  doctrinal  points 
extracted  from  the  homilies,  to  which  he  added,  also  in 
Latin,  a  treatise  "  de  politia  ecclesiae  Anglicans."  The  de- 
sign of  this  publication  was  to  recommend  the  formularies 
and  doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England  to  foreign  nations; 
but,  according  to  Wood,  there  was  such  a  leaning  towards 
*c  Calvin's  Platform,"  that  the  work  was  not  only  called  in, 
bttt  ordered  to  be  publicly  burnt.  Heylin,  who  speaks 
highly  of  the  author's  character  and  good  intentions,  thinks 
that  the  true  cause  of  this  work  being  so  disgraced  was, 
that  in  translating  the  20th  article,  he  omitted  the  first 

»  Mareri.— Diet  Hilt 


20S  M  O  K  E  T. 

clause  concerning  the  power  of  the  church  to  decree  rites 
and  ceremonies,  &c.  His  treatise  u  De  Politia"  was  re- 
printed at  London  in  1683,  8vo,  but  the  former  edition  we 
conceive  is  of  rare  occurrence,  as  we  do  not  6nd  it  in  the 
Bodleian  or  Museum  catalogues.1 

MO  LA  (Peter  Francis),  an  eminent  painter,  was,  ac- 
cording to  some,  born  at  Coldra,  and  to  others,  at  Lu- 
gano, 1609.     He  was  at  first  the  disciple  of  Cesari  d'Ar- 
pino,  but  formed  a  style  of  his  own,  selected  from,  the 
principles  of  Albani  and  Guercino.     He  never  indeed  ar- 
rived at  the  grace  of  the  former,  but  he  excelled  him  in 
vigour  of  tint,  in  variety  of  invention,  in  spirited  and  reso- 
lute execution.     He  bad  studied  colour  with  intense  ap- 
plication at  Venice,  and  excelled  in  fresco  and  in  oil.     Of 
the  many  pictures  with  which  he  enriched  the  churches  and 
palaces  of  Rome,  that  of  Joseph  recognised  by  his  bro- 
thers, on  the  Quirinal,  is  considered  as  the  roost,  eminent. 
If  Mola  possessed  a  considerable  talent  for  history,  he  was 
a  genius  in  landscape :  his  landscape  every  where  exhibits 
in  the  most  varied  combination,  and  with  the  most  vigorous 
touch,  the  sublime  scenery  of  the  territory  in  which  he 
was  born.     His  predilection  for  landscape  was  such,  that 
in  his  historic  subjects  it  may  often  be  doubted  which  is 
the  principal,  the  actors  or  the  scene ;  a  fault  which  may 
be  sometimes  imputed   to  Titian  himself.     In  many  of 
Mola's  gallery-pictures,  the  figures  have  been  ascribed  to 
Albano.     He  reared  three  disciples,  Antonio  Gherardi  of 
Rieti,  who  after  his  death  entered  the  school  of  Cortona, 
and  distinguished  himself  more  by  facility  than  elegance  of 
execution ;  Gia.  Batista  Boncuore  of  Rome,  a  painter  at 
all  times  of  great  effect,  though  often  somewhat  heavy ; 
and  Giovanni  Bonati  of  Ferrara,  called  Giovannino  del  Pio, 
from  the  protection  of  that  cardinal,  who  painted  three 
altar-pieces  of  consideration  at  Rome,    but  died  young* 
Mola  died  in  1665,  aged  fifty-six.    He  had  a  brother,  John 
Baptist,   who  was  born  in  1620,   and  also  learned  the 
art  of  painting  in  the  school  of  Albani.     He  proved  a  very 
good  painter  in  history,  as  well  as  in  landscape;  but  was 
far  inferior  to  his  brother,  in  style,  dignity,  taste,  and  co- 
louring.    In  his  manner  he  had  more  resemblance  to  the 
style  of  Albani,  than  to  that  of  his  brother ;  yet  his  figures 
are  rather,  hard  and  dry,  and  want  the  mellowness  of  the 

I  Heylift's  Life  of  Land,  p.  70— Ath.  Ox.  rol.  I.-^Wood's  Colleges  and  Halls. 


M  O  L  A.  209 

master.  However,  there  are  four  of  his  pictures  in  the 
Palazzo  Salviati,  at  Rome,  which  are  universally  taken 
for  the  hand  of  Albani.1 

MOLESWORTH  (Robert),    viscount  Molesworth  of 
Swordes  in  Ireland,  an  eminent  statesman  and  polite  wri- 
ter, was  descended  from  a  family,  anciently  seated  in  the 
counties  of  Northampton  and  Bedford  in  England ;  but  his 
father  having  served  in  the  civil  wars  in  Ireland,  settled 
afterwards  in  Dublin,  where  he  became  an  eminent  mer- 
chant, and  died  in  1656,  leaving  his  wife  pregnant  with 
this  only  child,  who  raised  his  family  to  the  honours  they 
now  .enjoy.     He  was  bom  in  Dec.  at  Dublin,  and  bred  in 
the  college  there  ;  and  engaged  early  in  a  marriage  with  a 
sister  of  Richard  earl  of  Bellamoht,  who  brought  him  a 
daughter  in  1677.     When  the  prince  of  Orange  entered 
England  in  1688,  he  distinguished  himself  by  an  early  and 
zealous  appearance  for  the  revolution,  which  rendered  him 
so  obnoxious  to  king  James,  that  he  was  attainted,  and  his 
estate  sequestered  by  that  king's  parliament,  May  2,  1689. 
But  when  king  William  was  settled  on  the  throne,  he  called 
this  sufferer,  for  whom  he  had  «  particular  esteem,  into 
his  privy  council ;  and,  in  1692,  sent  him  envoy  extraor- 
dinary to  the  court  of  Denmark.     Here  he  resided  above 
three  years,  till,   some   particulars  in  his    conduct   dis- 
obliging his  Danish  majesty,  he  was  forbidden  the  court. 
Pretending  business  in  Flanders,  he  retired  thither  with- 
out any  audience  of  leave,  and  came  from  thence  borne ; 
where  he  was  no  sooner,  arrived,  than  he  drew  up  "An 
Account  of  Denmark;99  in  which  he  represented  the  go- 
vernment of  that  country  as  arbitrary  and  tyrannical.  This 
piece  was  greatly  resented  by  prince  George  of  Denmark, 
eonsort  to  the   princess,  afterwards   queen   Anne ;    and 
Scheel,  the  Danish  envoy,  first  presented  a  memorial  to 
king  William,  complaining  of  it,  and  then  furnished  mate- 
rials for  an  answer,  which  was  executed  by  Dr.  William 
King.     From  King's  account  it  appears,  that  Molesworth's  , 
offence  in  Denmark  was,  his  boldly  pretending  to  some 
privileges,  which,  by  the  custom  of  the  country,  are  de- 
nied to  every  body  but  the  king;  as, travelling  the  king's 
road,  and  hunting  the  king's  game  :  which  being  done,  as 
is  represented,  in  defiance  of  opposition,^  occasioned  the- 

• 

1  Pilkington,  by  Faseli.—fStratt's  Diet.— Argenville,  vols.  II.  and  IV.-— Diet. 
Hist,  in  which  it  is  denied  that  John  Baptist  was  the  brother  of  Peter  Francis. 

VOL.tfXII.  P 


21ft  ^OLESWORTH, 

rupture  between  the  envoy  and  that  court.  If  this  allega~ 
tion  bave  any  truth,  the  fault  lay  certainly  altogether  oq 
the  side  of  Molesworth ;  whose  disregard  of  the  custom^ 
of  the  country  to  which  he  was  sent,  cannot  be  defended. 

In  the  mean  time  his  book  was  well  received  by  the 
public,  reprinted  thrice  (and  as  lately  as  1758),  and  trans- 
lated into  several  languages.     The  spirit  of  it  was  particu- 
larly approved  by  the  earl  of  Shaftesbury,  author:  of  the 
"  Characteristics ;"  who  from  thence  conceited  a  great  e$«s 
teem  for  him,  which  afterwards  ripened  into  a  close  friend-, 
ship,    Molesworth' s  view  in  writing  the  "  Account  of  Den-j 
naarit,"  is  clearly,  intimated  in  the  preface,  where  he  plainly 
give  us  his  political,  a*  well  as  his  religious  creed.     He 
censures  very  severely  the  clergy  in  general,  for  defending 
the  revolution  upon  any  other  principles  than  those  of  re* 
distance,  and  the.  original  contract,  which  he  maintains  to 
be  the  true  and  natural  basis  of  the  constitution ;  and  that 
all  other  foundations  are  false,  nonsensical,  rotten,  dero^ 
gatory  to  the  then  present  government,  and  absolutely,  de- 
structive to  the  legal  liberties  of  the  English  nation.     As 
the  preservation  of  these  depends  so  much  upon  the.  right 
education  of  youth  in  the  universities*,  he  urges,  also,  ha 
the  strongest  terms,  the  absolute  necessity  of  purging  and 
reforming  those,  by  a  royal  visitation :  so  that  the  youth 
may  not  be  trained  up  there,  as  he  say*  they  were,  in  the 
slavish  principles  of  passive  obedience  and  jus  <&»*wnm, 
but  may  be  instituted  after  the  manner  of  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  who  in  their  academies  recommended  the  duty  to 
their   country,   the  preservation  of  the  law  and  pubhft 
liberty  :  subservient  to  which  they  preached  up  moral  vis* 
tues,.  aneb  as  fortitude,  temperance*,  justice,  a  contempt 
of  death,  &c.  sometimes,  making  use  of  pious  cheats,  a* 
Elysian  fields,  add  an  assurance  of  future  happiness,  if  they 
died  in  the  cause  of  their  country ;  whereby  they  even  de<n 
cetved  their  hearers  into  greatness.     This  insinuation,  that 
religion  is  nothing  more  than  a  pious  cheat,  and  an  useful 
state-engine,  together  with  his  pressing  morality  as  the  one 
thing  necessary,   without  once  mentioning  the  Christian 
religion-,  could  not  but  be  very  agreeable  to  the.  author. of 
the. "  Characteristics."     In  reality,  it  made  a  remarkably 
strong  impression  on  him,    as  we  find  him  many  yeas 
after  declaring,  in  a  letter  to  our  author,  in  these  terms : 
*  You  have  long  had  my  heart,  even  before  I  knew  you 
personally.    For  the  holy  and  truly  pious  man,  who  re- 


MOLESWORTH.  211 

Vfealtd  f  h6  greatest  of  mysteries  :  he  who,  with  a  truly  ge- 
nerous love,  to  mankind  and  his  country,  pointed  out  the 
state  of  Denmark  to  other  states,  and  prophesied  of  things 
highly  important  to  the  growing  age :  he,  I  say*  had  al- 
ready gained  me  as  his  sworn  friend,  before  he  was  to 
kind  as  to  m^ke  friendship  reciprocal,  by  his  acquaintance 
aod  expressed  esteem.     So  that  you  may  believe  it  no  ex- 
traordinary transition  in  me,  from  making  you  in  truth  my 
orltde  in  public  affairs,  to  make  you  a  thorough  confident 
in  my  private."  This  private  affair  was  a  treaty  of  marriage 
with  a  relation  of  our  author  ;  and  though  the  design  mis- 
carried, yet  the  whole  tenor  of  the  letters  testifies  the  most 
intimate  friendship  between  the  writers. 
*    Molesworth  served  his  country  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons in  both  kingdoms,  being  chosen  for  the  borough  of 
Swordes  in  Ireland,  and  for  those  of  Bodmyn,  St.  Michael, 
and  East  Retford  in  England ;  his  conduct  in  the  senate 
being  always  firm  and  steady  to  the  principles  he  embraced. 
He  was  a  member  of  th4  privy-council  to  queen  Anne,  till 
the  latter  end  of  her  reign  ;  when,  party  running  high,  he 
was  removed  froto  the  board  in  Jan.  1713.     This  was  upon 
a  complaint  against  him  from  the  lower  house  of  convoca- 
tion, presented  Dee.  2,  by  the  prolocutor,  to  the  House  of 
Peers,  charging  him  with  speaking  these  words,  in  the 
hearing  of  many  persons:  "They  that  have  turned  the 
world  upside  down,  are  come  hither  also ;"  and  for  affront- 
ing the  clergy  in  convocation,  when  they  presented  their 
address  to  lord  chancellor  Phipps.     Steele's  "  Crisis"  was 
written  partly  in  vindication  of  Molesworth,  and  severely 
animadverted  upon  by  Swift  in  his  "  Public  Spirit  of  the 
Whigs.'9    But  as  Molesworth  constantly  asserted,  and  stre- 
nuously maintained  the  right  of  succession  in  the  house  of 
Hanover,  George  I.  on  the  forming  of  his  privy-council  in 
Ireland,  made  him  a  member  of  it,  Oct.  9,  1714,  and  the 
next  month  a  commissioner  of  trade  and  plantations.     His 
majesty  also  advanced  him  to  the  peerage  of  Ireland  in 
1716,  by  the  title  of  Baron  of  Philipstown,  and  viscount 
Molesworth  of  Swordes.     He  was  fellow  of  the  Royal  So^ 
cietyj  and  continued  to  serve  his  country  with  indefati- 
gable industry,  till  the  two  last  years  of  his  life :  when, 
perceiving  himself  worn  out  with  constant  application  to 
public  affairs,  he  passed  these  in  a  studious  and  learned 
retirement.     His  death  happened  on  May  22,  1725,  at  his 
seat  at  Breedeostown,  in  the  county  of  Dublin.    He  had 

p  2 


212  MOLESWORT 

a  seat  also  in  England,  at  Edlington,  near  Tickill,  in  York- 
shire. By  his  will  he  devised  50/.  towards  building  a 
church  at  Philipstown.  He  bad  by  his  wife  seven  sons  and 
four  daughters ;  one  of  whom,  Mary,  married  to  Mr.  Monk, 
an  Irish  gentleman,  acquired  some  reputation  as  the  au- 
thoress of  poems  published  after  her  death,  in  1715,  by 
her  father,  under  the  title  of  "  Marinda,  Poems  and  Trans- 
lations upon  several  occasions."     See  Monk  hereafter. 

Besides  bis  "  History  of  Denmark,"  he  wrote  ah  "  Ad- 
dress to  the  House  of  Commons*,"  for  the  encouragement 
of  agriculture ;  "  Considerations  for  promoting  Agricul- 
ture," Dublin,  1723  ;  and  "  A  Letter  relating  to  the  Bill 
of  Peerage,"  1719.  He  translated  "  Frahco-Gallia,"  a  La- 
tin treatise  of  the  civilian  Hottomari,  giving  an  account  of 
'the  free  state  of  France,  and  other  parts  of  Europe,  before 
the  loss  of  their  liberties.  The  second  edition  of  this  work, 
with  additions,  and  a  new  preface  by  the  translator,  came 
out  in  1721,  8vo.  He  is  likewise  reputed  the  author  of 
several  tracts,  written  with  great  force  of  reason  and  mas- 
culine eloquence,  in  defence  of  his  ideas  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  his  country,  and  the  common  rights  of  mankind  : 
and  it  is  certain,  that  few  men  of  his  fortune  and  quality 
were  more  learned,  or  more  highly  esteemed  by  men'  of 
learning.  In  the  printed  correspondence  between  Locke 
•and  Molyneux,  there  are  letters  which  shew  the  high  re- 
gard those  gentlemen  bad  for  him.1 

MO  LI  ERE  (John  Baptist,  Pocquelin  de),  the  cele- 
brated comic  writer  of  France,  whose  original  name  was 
Pocquelin,  was  born  at  Paris  about  1620,  He  was  both 
son  and  grandson  to  valets  de  chambres  on  one  side,  and 
tajrimcrs  on  the  other,  to  Louis  XIII.  and  was  designed  for 
the  latter  business,  that  of  a  domestic  upholsterer,  whose 
duty  was  to  take  care  of  the  furniture  of  the  royal  apart- 
ments. But;  the  grandfather  being  very  fond  of  the  boy, 
and  at  the  same  time  a  great  lover  of  plays,  used  to  take 
him  often  with  him  to  the  h6tel  de  Bourgogne  ;  which  pre- 
sently roused  up  Moliere's  natural  genius  and  taste  for  dra- 
matic representations,  and  crested  in  him  such  a  disgust  to 

•  See   some   remarks  on  tbis    in  the  Drapier's  Letter  V.  to  lord  Moles- 
Swift's  "  Arguments  against  enlarging  worth.     See  vol.  IX.     But  Swift's  opi- 
tbe  power  of  bishops  in  letting  leases."  nion  of  him  was  Out  uniform.    See  vol. 
—Works,  vol.   V.  edit,   by  Mr.  Ni-  XVI;  p.  «S7.    .  J 
chols,  1801,  p.  *87.     Swift  addressed 

*  Biog.  Brit.— Lodge's  Peerage.— Park's  edition  of  the  Royal  and  Noble  An 
thori,  vol.  V.  where  are  notices  of  the  two  succeeding  peerv  of  the  t ame  family. 


M  O  L  I  E  R  E.  213 

his  intended  employment,  that  at  last  his  father  consented 
to  let  htm  study  under  the  Jesuits,  at  the  college  of  Cler- 
Nraont.  Daring  the  five  years  that  he  resided  here,  he  made 
a  rapid  progress  in  the  study  of  philosophy  and  polite  lite- 
rature, and,  if  we  mistake  not,  acquired  even  now  much 
insight  into  the  varieties  of  human  character.  He  had 
here  also  an  opportunity  of  contracting  an  intimate  friend- 
ship with  Chapelle,  Bernier,  and  Cyrano.  Chapelle,  with 
whom  Bernier  was.  an  associate  in  his  studies,  had  the  fa- 
mous Gassendi  for  his  tutor,  who  willingly  admitted  Mo- 
Here  to  his  lectures,  as  he  afterwards  also  admitted  Cyrano. 
When  Louis  XIII.  went  to  Narbonne,  in  1641,  his  studies 
were  interrupted  :  for  his  infirm  father,  not  being  able  to 
attend  the  court,  Moliere  was  obliged  to  go  there  to  sup- 
ply his  place.  This,  however,  he  quitted  on  his  father's 
death  ;.  and  his  passion  for  the  stage,  which  had  induced 
him  first  to  study,  revived  more  strongly  than  ever.  Some 
have  said,  that  he  for  a  time  studied  the  law,  and  was  ad- 
mitted an  advocate.  This  seems  doubtful,  but,  if  true,  he 
soon  .yielded  to  those  more  lively  pursuits  which  made  him  ' 
the  restorer  of  comedy  in  France,  and  the  coadjutor  of 
Corneille,  who  had  rescued  the  tragic  Muse  from  bar- 
barism. The  taste,  indeed,  for  the  drama,  was  much  im- 
proved in  France,  after  cardinal  de  Richelieu  granted  a 
peculiar  protection  to  dramatic  poets.  Many  little  socie- 
ties now  made  it  a  diversion  to  act  plays  in  their  own 
houses ;  in  one  of  which,  known  by  the  name  of  "  The 
illustrious  Theatre,"  Moliere  entered  himself;  and  it  was 
then,  in  conformity  to  the  example  of  the  actors  of  that 
time,  that  he  changed  bis  name  of  Pocquelin  for  that  of 
Moliere,  which  he  retained  ever  after.  What  became  of 
him. from  1648  to  1652  we  know  not,  this  interval  being 
the  time  of  the  civil  wars,  which  caused  disturbances  in 
Paris ;  but  it  is  probable,  that  he  was  employed  in  com- 
posing some  of  those  pieces  which  were  afterwards,  exhi- 
bited to  the  public.  La  Bejart,  an  actress  of  Champagne, 
waiting,  as  well  as  he,  for  a  favourable  time  to  display  her 
talents,.. Moliere  was  particularly  kind  to  her  ;  and  as  their 
interests  became  mutual,  they  formed  a  company  toge- 
ther, and  went  to  Lyons  in  1653,  where  Moliere  produced 
his  first  play,  called  "  L'Etourdi,"  or  the  Blunderer,  and 
appeared  in  the  double  character  of  author  and  actor. 
This  drew  almost  all  the  spectators  from  the  other  com- 
pany of  comedians,  which  was  settled  in  that  town;  some 


214  M  O  L  I  E  R  E. 

of  which  company  joined  with,  Moliere,  and  followed  him 
to  Beziers  in  Languedoc,  where  he  offered  his  service*  to 
the  prince  of  Conti,  who  gladly  accepted  them,  as  he  had 
known  him  at  college,  and  was  among  the  first  to  predict 
his  brilliant  career  on  the  stage.  He  now  received  him  as 
a  friend  ;  and  not  satisfied  with  confjding  to  him  the  ma* 
iiagement  of  the  entertainments  which  he  gave,  be  offered 
to  make  him  his  secretary,  which  the.  latter  declined,  say* 
ing,  "I  am  a  tolerable  author,  but  I  should  make  a  very 
bad  secretary.9'  About  the  latter  end  of  1657,  Moliere 
departed  with  bis  company  for  Grepoble,  and  continued 
there  during  the  carnival  of  1658.  After  this  he  went  and 
settled  at  Rouen,  where  he  staid  all  the  summer;  and  hav- 
ing made  some  journeys  to  Paris  privately,  he  had  the  ygood 
fortune  to  please  the  king's  brother,  who,  granting  him 
his  protection,  and  making  bis  company  his  own,  intro» 
duced  him  in  that  quality  to  the  king  and  queen-mothen 
That  company  began  to  appear  before  their  majesties  and 
the  whole  court,  in  Oct.  1658,  upon  a  stage  erected,  on 
purpose,  in  the  hall  of  the  guards  of  the  Old  Louvre ;  and 
were  so  well  approved,  that  his  majesty  gave  orders  foi 
their  settlement  at  Paris.  The  hall  of  the  Petit  Bourbon 
was  granted  them,  to  act  by  turns,  with  the  Italian  players. 
In  1663,  Moliere  obtained  a  pension  of  a  thousand  livres; 
and,  in  1665,  his  company  was  altogether  in  his  majesty's 
service.  He  continued  all  the  remaining  pajrt  of  his  life 
to  give  new  plays,  which  were  very  much  and  very  justly 
applauded  :  and  if  we  consider  the  number  of  works  which 
he  composed  in  about  the  space  of  twenty  years,  while  he 
waa  himself  all  the  while  an  actor,  and  interrupted,  as  he 
must  be,  by  perpetual  avocations  of  one  kind  or  other, 
we  cannot  fail  to  admire  the  quickness,  as  well  as  fertility 
of  his  genius ;  and  we  shall  rather  be  apt  to  think  with 
Boileauj>  "  that  rhime  came  to  him,"  than  give  credit  to 
some  others,  who  say  be  "  wrote  very  slowly." 

His  last  comedy  was  "  Le  malade  imaginaire,"  or  The 
Hypochondriac ;  and  it  was  acted  for  the  fourth  time,  Feb. 
17,  1673.  Upon  this  very, day  Moliere  died;  and  the 
manner  of  his  death,  as  it  was  first  reported,  must  have 
been  extraordinary,  if  true.  The  chief  person  represented 
in  "  Le  malade  imaginaire,"  is  a  sick  man,  who,  upon  a 
certain  occasion,  pretends  to  be  dead.  Moliere  repre- 
sented that  person,  and  consequently  was  obliged,  in  one 
of  his  scenes,  to  act  the  part  of  a  dead  man.    The  report* 


MOLIEBE.  £13 

therefore,  was  that  he  expired  in  that  part  of  the  play*  and 
the  poets  took  hold  of  this  incident  to  show  their  pit,  in  a 
variety  of  jeux  d'esprit,  as  if  it  had  been  a  legitimate  sub- 
ject for  jesting.  The  only  decent  lines  on  this  occasion 
were  the  following,  evidently  written  by  some  person  of  a , 
graver  character : 

"  Roscius  hie  situs  est  tristi  Moliems  in  uroa, 
Cui  genus  humanum  ludere,  hidus  etat. 
Bum  ludit  mortem,  mors  indigaata  jocantem 
Corripit,  &  mimum  fingere  saeva  negat." 

But,  according  to  the  best  accounts,  Moliere  was  indis- 
posed before  the  performance  of  the  play.  His  wife,  and 
Baron  the  actor,  urged  him  to  take  some  care  of  himself, 
and  oat  to  perform  that  day.  *  And  what  then,"  said  be, 
u  is  to  become  of  my  poor  performers  ?  I  should  reproach 
myself  if  I  neglected  them  a  single  day.9* — The  exertions 
which  he  made  to  go  through  bis  part,  produced  a  convul- 
sion, followed  by  a  vomiting  of  blood,  which  suffocated 
him  some  hours  after,  in  the  fifty-third  year  of  his  age. 
The  king  was  so  extremely  affected  with  the  lass  of  him, 
that,  as  a  new  mark  of  his  favour,  he  prevailed  with  the 
archbishop  of  Paris  not  to  deny  his  being  interred  in  con- 
secrated ground.  As  Moliere  had  gained  himself  many 
enemies,  by  ridiculing  the  folly  and  knavery  of  all  orders 
of  men,  and  particularly  by  exposing  the  hypocrites  of  the 
ecclesiastical  order,  and  the  bigots  among  the  laity,  in 
his  celebrated  comedy,  the  "  Tartuffe*,''  they  therefore 
took  the  advantage  of  this  play,  to  stir  up  Paris  and  the 
eourt  against  its  author ;  and  if  the  king  had  not  inter- 
posed, he  had  then  fallen  a  sacrifice  to  the  indignation  of 
the  clergy.  The  king,  however,  stood  his  friend  now  he 
*ras  dead ;  and  the  archbishop,  through  bis  majesty's  in- 
tercession, permitted  him  to  be  buried  at  St,  Joseph's, 
which  was  a  chapel  of  ease  to  the  parish  church  of  St. 
Eustace. 

It  is  related  that  Moliere  read  his  comedies  to  an  elderly 
female  servant,  named  Laforet,  and  when  he  perceived 
that  the  passages  which  he  intended  to  be  humorous  and 
laughable  bad  no  effect  upon  her,  he  altered  diem.     He 

+  This  comedy  was  suppressed  by  prince  of  Conde,  his  waader  at  the  dif- 
the  interest  of  the  ecclesiastics,  after  rent  fates  of  these  two  pieces,  and 
it  had  been  acted  a  few  nights,  although  asked  the  reason  of  it,  the  urince  aa- 
*t  the  same  time,  a  very  profane  farce  swered  ;  "  in  the  farce*  religion  oaly  is 
was  permitted  to  have  a  long  run.  ridiculed ;  but  Moliere,  in  the  *  Tar- 
When  Louis  XIV.  expressed  to  the  toffe,'  has  attacked  even  the  ptiwrts." 


216  MOLIERE. 

required  the  players  also  touring  their  children  to  the  re- 
hearsals, that  he  might  form  his  opinion  of  different  pas- 
sages from  the  natural  expressions  of  their  emotions.  Mo- 
Here,  who  diverted  himself  on  the  theatre  by  laughing  at 
.  the  follies  of  mankind,  could  not  guard  against  the  effects 
of  his  own  weakness.  Seduced  by  a  violent  passion  for  the 
daughter  of  La  Bejart,  the  actress,  he  married  her,  and 
was  soon  exposed  to  all  the  ridicule  with-  which  he  had 
treated  the  husbands  who  were  jealous  of  their  wives.  Hap- 
pier in  the  society  of  his  friends,  he  was  beloved  by  his 
equals,  and  courted  by  the  great.  Marshal  de  Vivonne, 
the  great  Cond£,  and  even  Lewis  XIV.  treated  him  with 
that  familiarity  which  considers  merit  as  on  a  level  with 
birth.  .  These  flattering  distinctions  neither  corrupted  his 
understanding  nor  his  heart.  A  poor  man  having  returned 
him  a  piece  of  gold  which  he  bad  given  him  by  mistake, 
"  In  what  a  humble,  abode,9'  he  exclaimed,  "  does  Virtue 
dwell !  Here,  my  friend,  take  another."  When  Baron  in- 
formed him  of  one  of  his  old  theatrical  companions  whom 
extreme  poverty  prevented  from  appearing,  Moliere  sent 
for  him,  embraced  him,  and  to  words  of  consolation  adcled 
a  present  of  twenty  pistoles  and  a  rich  theatrical  dress. 
When  he  was  in  the  height  of  his  reputation,  Racine,  who 
was  just  then  come  from  Languedoc,  and  was  scarcely 
known  in  Paris,  went  to  see  him,  under  pretence  of  con* 
suiting  him  about  an  ode  which  he  had  just  finished.  Mo- 
liere expressed  such  a  favourable  opinion  of  the  ode,  that 
Racine  ventured  to  shew  him  his  first  tragedy,  founded  on 
the  martyrdom  of  Theagenes  and  Chariclea,  as  he  had 
reaxl  it  in  the  Greek  romance.  Moliere,  who  had  an  ho- 
nest consciousness  of  superiority,  which  exalted  him  above 
envy,  was  not  sparing  either  of  praise  or  of  counsel.  His 
liberality  carried  him  still  farther :  he  knew  that  Racine 
was  pot  in  easy  circumstances,  and  therefore  lent  him  a 
hundred  louis-d'ors;  thinking  it  a  sufficient  recompense 
to  have  the  honour  of  producing  a  genius  to  the  public, 
which,  he  foresaw,  would  one  day  be  the  glory  of  the  stage. 
The  French  have  very  justly  placed  Moliere  at  the  head 
of  all.  their  comic  authors.  .  There  is,  indeed,  no  author,  in 
all  the  fruitful  and  distinguished  age  of  Lewis  XIV.  who 
has  attained  a  higher  reputation,  or  who  has  more  nearly 
reached  the  summit  of  perfection  in  his  own  art,  according 
to  the  judgment  of  all  the  French*  critics.  Voltaire  boldly 
pronounces  him  to  be  the  most  eminent  comic  poet  of  any 


MOLIERE.  217 

age  or  country  ;  nor,  perhaps,  is  this  the  decision  of  mere 
partiality ;  for,  upon  the  whole,  who  deserves  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  him  ?  When  Louis  XIV.  insisted  upon  Boileau's 
telling  »him  who  was  the  most  original  writer  of  his  time, 
he  answered,  Moliere !  Moliere  is  always  the  satirist  only 
of  vice  or  folly.  He  has  selected  a  great  variety  of  ridicu- 
lous characters  peculiar  to  the  times  in  which  he  lived, 
and  he  has  generally  placed  the  ridicule  justly.  He  pos- 
sessed strong  comic  powers ;  he  is  full  of  mirth  and  plea- 
santry ;  and  his  pleasantry  is  always  innocent.  His  come- 
dies in  verse,  such  as  his  "  Misanthrope9'  and  TartufFe," 
are  a  kind  of  dignified  comedy,  in  which  vice  is  exposed, 
in  the  style  of  elegant  and  polished  satire.  His  verses  have 
all  the  flow  and  freedom  of  conversation,  yet  he  is  said  to 
have  passed  whole  days  in  fixing  upon  a  proper  epithet  or 
rhime.  In  his  prose  comedies,  though  there  is  abundance 
of  ridicule,  yet  there  is  never  any  thing  to  offend  a  modest 
ear,  or  to  throw  contempt  on  sobriety  and  virtue.  Toge- 
ther with  those  high  qualities,  Moliere  has  also  some  de- 
fects, which  Voltaire,  though  his  professed  panegyrist, 
candidly  admits.  He  is  acknowledged  not  to  be  happy  in 
the  unravelling  of  his  plots.  Attentive  more  to  the  strong 
exhibition  of  characters,  than  to  the  conduct  of  the  in- 
trigue, his  unravelling  is  frequently  brought  on  with  too 
little  preparation,  and  in  an  improbable  manner.  In  his 
verse  comedies,  he  is  sometimes  not  sufficiently  interest- 
ing, and  too  full  of  long  speeches ;  and  in  bis  risible  pieces 
in  prose,  he  is  censured  for  being  too  farcical.  Few  wri- 
ters, however,  if  any,  ever  possessed  the  spirit,  or  attained 
the  true  end  of  comedy,  so  perfectly,  upon  the  whole,  as 
Moliere.  His  "  Tartu  ffe,"  in  the  style  of  grave  comedy, 
and  his  "  Avare,"  in  the  gay,  are  accounted  his  two  capital 
productions. 

At  the  time  of  his  death,  Moliere  was  intended  for  a 
vacant  place  in  the  French  academy.  More  than  a  cen- 
tury afterwards  the  academicians  placed  his  bust  in  their 
ball,  the  gift  of  D'Alembert,  and  from  the  many  inscrip- 
tions proposed,  the  following  was  adopted  :     n 

"  Rien  ne  manque  a  sa  gloire,  il  manquoit  a  la  notre." 

And  when  the  place  of  his  interment  Was  lately  pulled 
down,  bis  remains  were  removed  to  the  garden  of  the  Mu- 
seum, and  placed  among  the  honorary  monuments  there,  in 
1799, 


218  MO  LIERK* 

Of  the  numerous  editions  of  Moliere,  the  French  bib» 
liograpbers  point  out,  as  the  best,  that  by  Bret,  1773,  6 
vols.  8vo,  with  the  engravings  of  the  younger  Moreau,  and 
a  splendid  one  by  Didot,  17^2,  6  vols.  410.1 

MOLIERES  (Joseph  Privat  de),  born  in  1677,  of  a 
noble  and  ancient  family  at  Tarascon,  entered  among  the  fa» 
ibers  of  the  oratory,  and  was  pupil  to  Malebraoche.  Quitting 
the  oratory,  after  that  celebrated  philosopher's  death,  he  de- 
voted himself  wholly  to  physic  and  mathematics,  in  which  he 
acquired  great  skill,  and  was  appointed  professor  of  philo- 
sophy at  the  royal  college  in  1723,  and  afterwards  member 
of  the  academy  of  sciences,  in  1729.  His  principal  work  is 
u  Philosophical  Lectures,"  4  vols.  12mo,  in  which  he  ex*- 
plains  the  laws,  mechanism,  and  motions  of  the  celestial 
vortices,  in  order  to  demonstrate  the  possibility  and  exist* 
ence  of  them  in  the  system  of  the  Plenum  ;  his  system  is 
that  of  Descartes,  but  corrected  by  Newton's  principles. 
He  also  left  "Mathematical  Lectures,"  i2mo,  very  inowrv 
rectly  printed  ;  and  "  La  premiere  partie  des  El£mens  de 
G6ometrie,"  12mo.  In  his  temper  he  shewed  very  littlfe 
of  the  philosopher.  In  the  maintenance  of  ins  principles 
he  could  bear  no  contradiction;  and  when  some  of  hispo* 
aitive  assertions  provoked  the  smiles  of  the  academicians* 
he  fell  into  violent  passions,  and  on  one  occasion  this  imi- 
tation was  so  great,  as  to  bring  on  a  fever,  of  which  be 
died,  May  12*  1742.  in  other  respects  his  character  was 
amiable;  but,  like  some  other  mathematicians,  he  was 
liable  in  bis  studies  to  such  absence  of  mind,  as  to  appear 
almost  wholly  insensible  to  surrounding  objects,  and  this 
infirmity  becoming  known,  he  was  made  the  subject  of 
depredations.  A  shoe-black,  once  finding  him  profoundly 
absorbed  in  a  reverie,  contrived  to  steal  the  silver  buckles 
from  his  shoes,  replacing  them  with  iron  ones.  At  another 
time,  while  at  his  studies,  a  villain  broke  into  the  room  in 
vhich  be  vras  sitting,  and  demanded  his  money ;  Molieres, 
without  rising  from  his  studies,  or  giving  any  alarm,  coolly 
shewed  him  whete  it  waft,  requesting  him,  as  a  great  fa- 
vour, that  he  would  not  derange  his  papers** 

MOLINA  (Lewis),  born  of  a  noble  family  at  Cuenca, 
entered  the  Jesuits'  order,  1553,  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
and  taught  theology  with  reputation  during  twenty  years  in 
the  university  of  Ebbra.     He  died  October  12,  1660,  at 

*  Moreri. — Diet.  Hist. — Warton's  Essay  on  Pope*— Blair's  Lecture*, 

*  Moreri. — Diet.  Hist. 
I 


MOLI  N  A.  319 

• 

Madrid,  aged  sixty-five.  His  principal  works  are,  Com- 
mentaries on  the  first  part  of  the  Summary  of  St.  Thomas, 
in  Latin,  a  large  treatise  "  De  Justitia  et  Jure,"  a  book  on 
"The  Concordance  of  Grace  and  Free-will,"  printed  at 
Liabon,  1588,  4to,  in  Latin,  which  ought  to  have  at  the  end 
an  appendix,  printed  in  1589.  It  i»  an  apology  from  Mo- 
lina against  those  who  called  some  propositions  in  his  book 
heretical,  and  this  last  work  was  what  divided  the  Domi- 
nicans and  the  Jesuits  into  Thomists,  and  Moliuists,  and 
jaised  the  famous  disputes  about  grace  and  predestination. 
Molina's  object  was  to  shew  that  the  operations  of  divine 
grace  were  entirely  consistent  with  the  freedom  of  human 
will ;  and  be  introduced  a  new  kind  of  hypothesis  to  re* 
move  the  difficulties  attending  the  doctrines  of  predestina- 
tion and  liberty,  and  to  reconcile  the  jarring  opinions  of 
Augustinians,  Thomists,  Semi- Pelagians,  and. other  con- 
tentious divines.  Molina  affirmed,  that  the  decree  of  pre- 
destination to  eternal  glory  was  founded  upon  a  previous 
knowledge  and  consideration  of  the  merits  of  the  elect ; 
that  the  grace  from  whose  .operation  these  merits  are  de* 
rived,  is  not  efficacious  by  its  own  intrinsic  power  only, 
but  also  by  the  consent  of  our  own  will,  and  because  it  is 
administered  in  those  circumstances,  in  which  the  Deity, 
by  that  branch  of  his  knowledge  which  is  called  scientia 
media,  foresees  that  it  will  he  efficacious.  The  kind  of 
prescience*  denominated  in  the  schools  scientia  media,  is 
that  foreknowledge  of  future  contingents,  that  arises  from 
an  acquaintance  with  the  nature  and  faculties-  of  rational 
beings,  of  the  circumstances  in  which  they  shall  be  placed, 
of  the  objects  that  shall  be  presented  .to  them,  and  of  the 
influence  which  these  circumstances  and  objects  must  have 
en  their  actions. 

.  In  order  to  put  an  end  to  these  contentions,  pope  Cle- 
ment VIII.  instituted  the  celebrated  congregation  De 
Angiitis,  in  1597  ;  but  after  several  assemblies  of  coun- 
sellors and  cardinals,  in  which  the  Dominicans  and  Jesuits 
disputed  contradictorily  during  nine  years  before  the  pope 
and  the  court  of  Rome,  the  affair  was  still  undecided* 
Pope  Paul  V.  under  whom  these  disputes  had  been  con- 
tinued, at  length  published  a  decree,  Aug.  31,  1607,  for- 
bidding the  parties  to  defame  or  censure  each  other,  and 
enjoining  the  superiors  of  both  orders  to  punish  those  se* 
verely  who  should  disregard  this  prohibition.* 

1  Dupin.-— Mosheim. 


220  M  O  L  I  N  E  T. 

MOLIN^US.     See  MOULIN. 

MOL1NET  {Claude  du),  regular  canon  and  procura- 
tor-general  of  the  congregation  of  St.  Genevieve,  and  one 
of  the  most  learned  antiquaries  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
was  born  in  1620,  at  Chalons  sur  Marne,  of  a  noble  and 
ancient  family.  He  collected  a  large  cabinet  of  curiosi- 
ties, and  placed  the  library  of  St,  Genevieve  at  Paris  in 
the  state  which  has  rendered  it  so  celebrated.  He  died 
September  2,  1687,  aged  sixty ^seven.  His  principal  works 
are,  an  edition  of  the  "  Epistles  of  Stephen,  bishop  of 
Tournay,"  with  learned  notes ;  u  History  of  the  Popes  by 
Medals,"  from  Martin  V.  to  Innocent  XI.  1679,  folio,  La- 
tin ;  "  Reflexions  sur  l'origine  et  l'antiquit6  des  Ghanoines 
s6culiers  et  rlguliers,"  4to  ;  "  Dissertation  sur  la  Mkre  des 
Anciens;"  another  "Dissertation  sur  une  Tfite  d'lsis," 
&c. ;  "  he  Cabinet  de  la  Bibliotheque  de  Ste<  Genevieve/9 
1692,  folio,  a  curious  book.  He  was  the  author  also  of 
some  dissertations  in  the  literary  Journals,  and  left  several 
MSS.  on  subjects  of  history  and  antiquities.  He  was  a 
man  of  vast  research  ;  but,  as  his  countrymen  say,  he  was 
"  plus  rempli  d'erudition  que  de  critique,"  and  certainly 
in  some  cases  took  little  pains  to  discriminate  between  the 
true  and  the  fabulous.1 

MGLINOS  (Michael),  a  Spanish  priest,  and  by  some 
reckoned  the  founder  of  the  sect  of  Quietists,  was  born  in 
the  diocese  of  Saragossa  in  1627,  and  appears  to  have  re- 
sided mostly  at  Rome,  where  his  ardent  piety  and  devotion 
procured  him  a  considerable  number  of  disciples  of  both 
sexes.  In  1675  he  published  his  "  Spiritual  Guide,"  writ- 
ten in  Spanish,  which  was  honoured  with  the  encomiums 
of  many  eminent  personages,  and  was  republished  in  Ita- 
lian in  several  places,  and  at  last  at  Rome  in  1681.  It  was* 
afterwards  translated  into  French,  Dutch,  and  Latin  (the 
last  by  professor  Franke  at  Halle  in  1687),  and  passed 
through  several  editions  in  France,  Holland,  and  Italy. 
It  was  at  Rome,  however,  where  its  publication  in*  1681 
alarmed  the  doctors  of  th£  church.  The  principles  of  Mo- 
linos,  which,  Mosheim  remarks,  have  been  very  differently 
interpreted  by  his  friends  and  enemies,  amount  to  this, 
that  the  whole  of  religion  consists  in  the  perfect  tranquil- 
lity of  a  mind  removed  from  all  external  and  finite  things, 
and  centered  ia  God,  and  in  such  a  pure  love  of  the  Su-' 

*  Biog.  UoiT.  art.  Dumolin«t,*-Moreri.«— Diet.  Hist* 


M  O  L  I  N  O  S.  221 

preme  Being,  as  is  independent  of  all  prospect  of  interest 
or  reward ;  or,  in  other  words,  "  the  soul,  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  supreme  good,  must  retire  from  the  reports  and 
gratifications  of  sense,  and,  in  general,  from  all  corporeal 
objects,  and,  imposing  silence  upon  all  the  motions  of  the 
understanding  and  will,  must  be  absorbed  in  the  Deity.19 
•Hence  the  denomination  of  2uietist$  was  given  to  the  fol- 
lowers' of  Molinos  ;  though  that  of  Mystics,  which  was  their 
vulgar  title,  was  more  applicable,  and  expressed  their 
*ystem  with  more  propriety,  the  doctrine  not  being  new, 
.but  rather  a  digest  of  what  the  ancient  mystics  had  ad- 
vanced in  a  more  confused  manner.  For  this,  however, 
Molinos  wflis  first  imprisoned  in  1685,  and  notwithstanding 
he  read  a  recantation  about  two  years  afterwards,  was  sen- 
tenced to  perpetual  imprisonment,  from  which  he  was  re- 
leased by  death  in  1696.  Madame  Guyon  was  among  the 
most  distinguished  of  his  disciples,  and  herself  no  incon- 
siderable supporter  of  the  sect  of  Quietists.1 
'  MOLLOY  (Charles,  esq.),  descended  from  a  very 
good  family  in  the  kingdom  of  Ireland,  was  born  in  the 
city  of  Dublin,  and  received  part  of  his  education  at  Tri- 
nity college  there,  of  which  he  afterwards  became  a  fellow. 
-At  his  first  coining  to  England  he  entered  himself  of  the 
Middle  Temple,  and  -  was  supposed  to  have  had  a  very 
considerable  hand  in  the  writing  of  a  periodical  paper, 
called  "  Fog's  Journal,"  and  afterwards  to  have  been  the 
principal  writer  of  another  well-known  paper,  entitled 
** Common  Sense/'  'All  these  papers  give  testimony  of 
strong  abilities,:  great  depth  of  understanding,  and  clear- 
ness of  reasoning.  Dr.  King  was  a  considerable  writer  in 
the  latter,  as  were  lords  Chesterfield  and  Lyttelton.  Our 
author  had  large  offers  made  him  to  write  in  defence  of  sir 
Robert  Walpole,  but  these  he  rejected :  notwithstanding 
wbichy  at  the  great  change  in  the  ministry  in  1742,  he 
was  entirely  neglected,  as  well  as  his  fellow-labourer  Am- 
herst, who  conducted  "  The  Craftsman.1'  Mr.  Molloy, 
however,  having  married  a  lady  of  fortune,  was  in  circum- 
stances which  enabled  him  to  treat  the  ingratitude  of  his 
patriotic  friends  with  the  contempt  it  deserved.  He  lived 
m^ny  years  after  this  period,  dying  so  lately  as  July  16, 
1767.  He  was  buried  at  Edmonton,  July  20.  He  also 
wrote  three  dramatic  pieces,  1.  "  Perplexed  Couple,"  1715, 

1  MosheijOi,  where  are  more  particulars  of  the  history  and  system  of  Molinos. 


122 


MOLLOYi 


12mo.  2.  "  The  Coquet,"  17  i  8,  8vo.  3.  "  Halfway  Of* 
ficers,"  1720,  12mo.  None  of  which  met  with. any  very 
extraordinary  success. 

Harris,  in  his  edition  of  Ware's  "  Writers  of  Ireland," 
mentions  another  Charles  Molloy,  a  native  of  the  King's 
County,  and  a  lawyer  of  the  Iriner  Temple,  who  wrote 
"  De  Jure  Maritimo  et  Navali,  or  a  Treatise  of  Affairs 
Maritime,  and  of  Commerce,"  first  published  at  London  ia 
167$,  and  still  known  by  many  republications,  the  last  of 
which  was  ii>  1769,  2  vols.  £vq.  He  died  under  fifty  years 
of  age,  in  1690,  at  bis  bouse  in  Crane-court,  Fleet-street 
Harris  gives  some  account  also  of1  a  Francis  Moiloy,  of 
King's  Qounty,  professor  of  divinity  in  the  college  of  $t 
Isidore  at  Rome,  who  wrote  "  Sacra  Tbeologia*"  Rome* 
1666, Svo ;  "  Gramoaatica  Latino-Hibernica  compendiata," 
ibid.  1677,  12mo.  Edward  Lluyd,  who  has  made  art  ah* 
stract  of  this  in  his  "  Archsologia  Britannica,"  says  that  it 
was  the  most  complete  Irish  grammar  then  extant,  although 
imperfect  as  to  syntax,  &c.  He  says  also,  what  is  less 
credible,  that  Motloy  was  not  the  author  of  it ;  although 
the  latter  put*  his  name  to  it,  and  speaks  of  it  in  the  pre* 
face  as  his  own  work.  Molloy's  other  work  is  entitled 
"  Lucerna  Fidelium,"  Rome,  1676,  8vo,  which  although  the 
title  is  in  Latin,  is  written  in  Irish,  and  contains  an  expla- 
nation of  the  Christian  religion  according  to  the  faith  of 
the  church  of  Rome,1 

MOLYN  (Petbr).     See  TEMPESTA. 

MOLYNEUX  (Wiluam,  esq.)  an  excellent  matbeta*> 
tician  and  astronomer,  was  born  April  17,.  1656,  at  Dub* 
lin,  where  his  father,  a  gentleman  of  good  family  and  for- 
tune, lived*.  Being  of  a  tender  constitution,  he  was  edu- 
cated under  a  private  tutor  at  home,  till  he  was  near  fifteen, 
and  then  placed  in  the  university  of  Dublin,  under  the  care 
of  Dr.  Palliser,  afterwards  archbishop  of  Cashell.  He  dis- 
tinguished himself  here  by  the  probity  of  his  manners  as 


*  His  family  were  all  lovers  of 
learning.  His  father*-  Samuel,  had  an 
office  in  the  court  of  exchequer*  was 
master-gunner  of  Ireland  (an  employ* 
ment  which  he  held  many  years),  and 
published  "Practical  Problems  con- 
cerning the  doctrine  of  Projects  design- 
ed  for  great  Artillery  and  Mortar 
Pieces; "  It  was  printed  on  copper* 
plates,   and  collected  from  a  larger 


treatise  on  gunnery,  written  by  him* 
He  died  about  two  years  before  his  soil, 
jn  1696.  His  grandfather,  Daniel,  was 
Ulster  king  at  arms,  whom  sir  James 
Ware  calls  (l  venerandss  antiquitat'n 
cultor."  Be  finished  "  Meredith  Ham- 
mer's Chronicle  of  Ireland,"  bus  ifcr 
whatever  reason,  the  second  patt  only 
was  published. 


*  Brog.  Dram.— Harris's  Ware .— Lygons's  Environs,  vol.  II. 


M  O  L  Y  N  E  U  X.  823 

i 
I 

W*ll  »  hv  the  strength  of  his  parts ;  and,  haying  made  a 
remarkable  progress  in  academical  learning,  and  parties 
larly  in  the  new  philosophy,  as  it  was  then  called,  he  pro* 
ceeded  at  the  regular  time  to  his  bachelor  of  arts  degree^ 
After  four  years  spent  in  this  university,  he  came  to  Lon+ 
don,  and  was  admitted  into  the  Middle  Temple  in  June 
1675.  He  staid  there  three  years,  and  applied  himself  to 
the  study  of  the  laws  of  his  country,  as  much  as  was  neces- 
sary, for  one  who  was  not  designed  for  the  profession  of  the 
law;,  but  the  bent  of  his  genius,  as  well  as  inclination, 
lying  strongly  to  philosophy  and  mathematics,  he  spent 
the  greatest  part  of  his  time  in  these  inquiries,  which,  from 
the  extraordinary  advances  newly  made  by  the  Royal  So* 
oiety,  were  then  chiefly  in  vogue. 

Thus  accomplished,  he  returned  to  Ireland  in  June  167S, 
and  shortly  after  married   Lucy,  daughter  of  sir  William 
Domvile,  the  king's  attorney- general.     Being  master  of  an 
tasy  fortune,  he  continued  to  indulge  himself  in  prosecuting 
such  branches  of  moral  and  experimental  philosophy  as 
were  most  agreeable  to  his  fancy  ;  and  astronomy  having 
the  greatest  share,  he  began,  about  1681,  a  literary  cor- 
respondence with  Flamsteed,  the  king's  astronomer,  which 
h&hept  np  for  several  years.    In.  1683,  he  formed  a  design 
of  erecting-  a  philosophical  society  at  Dublin,  in  imitation 
of  the  royal  society  at  London ;  and,  by  the  countenance 
and  encouragement  of  sir  William  Petty,  who  accepted 
the  office  of  president,  they  began  a  weekly  meeting  that 
year,  when. oar  author  was  appointed  their  first  secretary. 
The  reputation  of  his  parts  and  learning,  which,  by  mean* 
of  this  society  became  more  known,  recommended  him,  in 
1684*  to  the  notice  and  favour  of  the  duke  of  Ormond, 
then  lord  lieutenant  of  Ireland ;  by  whose  influence  he 
was  appointed  that  year,  jointly  with  sir  William  Robinson* 
surveyors-general  of  bis  majesty's  building*  and  works,  and 
chief  engineer.     la  16&5,   he  was.  chosen  fellow  of  the 
royal  society  at  London ;  and  that  year,  for  the  sake  of 
improving  himself  in  the  art  of  engineering,  be  procured  an 
appointment  from  the  Irish  government,  to  view  the  most 
considerable  fortresses- in  Flanders.  Accordingly  be  travelled 
through  that  country  and  Holland,  and  some  part  of  Ger- 
many and  France;  and  carrying  with  him  letters  of  recom- 
mendation from  Flamsteed  to  Cassini,  he  was  introduced  to 
him,  and  other  eminent  astronomers,  in  the  several  places 
through  which  he  passed.    , 


&U  M  O  L  Y  N  E  U  X. 

.  Soon  after  his  return  from  abroad,  he  printed  at  Dublin, 
in  1686,  his  "  Sciothericum  telescopium,"  containing  a  de- 
scription of  the  structure  and  use  of  a  telescopic  dial  in- 
vented by  him  :  another  edition  of  which  was  published  at 
London  in  1700,  4to.  On  the  publication  of  sir  Isaac 
Newton's  "  Principia"  the  following  year,  1687,  our  au-  j 

thor  was  struck  with  the  same  astonishment  as  the  rest  of 
the  world  ;  but  declared  also,  that  he  was  not  qualified  to 
examine  the  particulars.  Halley,  with  whom  he  constantly 
corresponded,  had  sent  him  the  several  parts  of  this  ines- 
timable treasure,  as  they  came  from  the  press,  'before 
the  whole  was  finished,  assuring  him,  that  be  looked  upon 
it  as  the  utmost  effort  of  human  genius. 

In  1688,  the  philosophic  society  at  Dublin  was  broken 
up  and   dispersed  by   the  confusion  of  the  times.     Mr. 
Molyneux  had  distinguished  himself,  as  a  member  of  it, 
from  the  beginning,    by  several  discourses  upon  curious 
subjects ;    some  of  which  were  transmitted  to  the  royal 
society  at  London,  and  afterwards  printed  in  the  "  Philo- 
sophical Transactions."     Jp  1689,  among  great  numbers  of 
other  Protestants,  he  withdrew  from  the  disturbances  in 
Ireland,  occasioned  by  the  severities  of  Tyrconnel's  go- 
vernment ;  and,  after  a  short  stay  in  London,  fixed  himself 
with  his  family  at  Chester.   In  this  retirement  he  employed 
himself  in  putting  together  the  materials  he  had  some  time 
before  prepared  for  his  "  Dioptrics,"  in  which  he  was  much 
assisted  by  Flamsteed ;  and,  in  August  1690,  went  to  Lon- 
don to  put  it  to  the  press,  where  the  sheets  were  revised 
by  Halley,  who,  at  our  author's  request,  gave  leave  for 
printing,  in  the  appendix,  his  celebrated  theorem  for  find- ' 
ing  the  foci  of  optic  glasses.  <  Accordingly  the  book  came 
out,  1692,  in  4to,  under  the  title  of  "  Diqptrica  nova :  a 
Treatise  of  Dioptrics,  in  two  parts;  wherein  the  various 
Effects  and  Appearances  of  Spherical  Glasses,  both .  Con- 
vex and  Concave,  single  and  combined,  in  Telescopes  and 
Microscopes,  together  with  their  usefulness  in  many  con- 
cerns of  Human  Life,  are  explained."     He  gave  it  the 
title  of  "  Dioptrica  nova,"  not  only  because  it  was  almost 
wholly  new,  very  little  being  borrowed  from  other  writers, 
but  because  it  was  the  first  book  that  appeared  in.  English 
upon  the  subject.     This  work  contains  several  of  the  most 
generally  useful  propositions  for  practice  demonstrated  in  a 
clear  and  easy  manner,  for  which  reason  it  was  many. years 
much  used  by  the  artificers  ;  and.  the  second  part  is  very 


MOLYNEUX  U2S 

entertaining,  especially  in  bis  history  which  he  gives  of  the 
several  optical  instruments,  and  of  the  discoveries  made 
by  them*  The  dedication  of  the  "  Dioptrics"  being  ad*» 
dressed  to  the  royal  society,  he  takes  notice,  among  other 
improvements  in  philosophy,  by  building  it  upon  expe- 
rience, of  the  advances  that  had  been  lately  made  in  logic 
by  the  Celebrated  John  Locke. 

Before  he  left  Chester,  he  lost  his  lady,  who  died  soon 
after  she  had  brought  him  a  son.  Illness  had  deprived  bet 
of  he.r  eye-sight  twelve  years  before,  that  is,  soon  after 
she  was  married;  from  which  time  she  had  been  very 
sickly,  and  afflicted  with  extreme  pains  of  the  head.  As 
soon  as  the.  public  tranquillity  was  settled  in  his  native 
country,  he  returned  home;  and;  upon  the  convening  of 
a  new  parliament  in  1692,  was  chosen  one  of  the  repre* 
sentatives  for  the  city  of  Dublin.  In  the  next  parliament, 
in  1695,  he  was  chosen  to  represent  the  university  there, 
and  continued  to  do  so  to  the  end  of  his  life;  that  learned 
body  having,  before  the  end  of  the  first  session  of  the  for- 
mer, conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  doctor  of  laws.  He 
was  likewise  nominated,  by  the  lord-lieutenant,  one  of  the 
commissioners  for  the  forfeited  estates,  to  which  employ- 
ment was  ^nnexed  a  salary  of  five  hundred  pounds  a-year ; 
but  looking  upon  it  as  an  invidious  office,  and  not  being 
a  lover  of  money,  he  declined  it.  In  1698,  he  published 
"  The  Case  of  Ireland  stated,  in  relation  to  its  being  bound 
by  Acts  of  Parliament  made  in  England :"  in  which  he  is 
supposed  to  have  delivered  all,  or  most,  that  can  be  said 
upon  this  subject,  with  great  clearness  and  strength  of 
reasoning.  This  piece  (a  second  edition  of  which,  with 
additions  and  emendations,  was  printed  in  1720,  8vo,)  was 
answered  by  John  Cary,  merchant  of  Bristol,  in  3  book 
called,  "  A  Vindication  of  the  Parliament  of  England,  &c." 
dedicated  to  the  lord-chancellor  Somers,  and  by  Atwood, 
a  lawyer.  Of  these  Nicolson  remarks  that  "  the  merchant 
argues  like  a  counsellor  at  law,  and  the  barrister  strings  his 
small  wares  together  like  a  shop-keeper."  What  occa- 
sioned Molyneux  to  write  the.  above  tract,  was  his.  con- 
ceiving the  Irish  woollen  manufactory  to  be  oppressed  by 
the  English  government ;  on  which  account  he  could  not 
forbear  asserting  his  country's  independency,  He  had 
given  Mr.  Locke  a  hint  of  his  thoughts  upon  this  subject, 
before  it  was  quite  ready  for  the  press,  and  desired  his  sen- 
timents upon  the  fundamental  principle  on  which  hisargu- 

VOL.XXII.  Q 


S26  MOLYNIUX. 

ment  was  grounded ;  in  answer  to  which  that  gentleman* 
intimating  that  the  business  was  of  too  large  an  extent  for 
the  subject  of  a  letter,  proposed  to  talk  the  matter  over 
with  him  in  England.  This,  together  with  a  purpose  which 
Molyneux  had  long  formed,  of  paying  that  great  man  *, 
whom  he  had  never  yet  seen,  a  visit,  prevailed  with  him  to 
cross  the  water  once  more,  although  he  was  in  a  very  in- 
firm state  of  health,  in  July  this  year,  1698;  and  he  re- 
mained in. England  till  the  middle  of  September.  But  the 
pleasure  of  this  long-wished-for  interview,  which  he  in- 
tended to  have  repeated  the  following  spring,  seems  to  have 
been  purchased  at  the  expence of  his  life;  for,  shortly  af- 
ter, he  was  seized  with  a  severe  fir  of  his  constitutional 
distemper,  the  stone,  which  occasioned  such  retchiugs  as 
broke  a  blood-vessel,  and  two  days  after  put  a  period  to  his 
life.  He  died  October  11,  1698,  and  was  buried  at  St. 
Andoen's  church,  Dublin,  where  there  is  a  monument  and 
Latin  inscription  to  his  memory.  Besides  the  "  Sciotbe- 
ricuni  telescopicum,"  and  the  "  Dioptrica  nova,9'  already- 
mentioned,  he  published  the  following  pieces  in  the 
"Philosophical  Transaction s."  l.  "Why  four  convex- 
glasses    in    a    telescope    shew    objects    erect/9   No.  53. 

2.  "  Description  of  Lough  Neagb,  in  Ireland,'9  No.  158. 

3.  "  On  the  Connaught  worm,99  No.  168.  4.  "  Descrip- 
tion of  a  new  hygrometer/9  No.  172.  5.  "  On  the  cause 
of  winds  and  the  change*of  weather,  &c.99  No.  177.  S. 
"Why  bodies  dissolved  swim  in  menstrua  specifically 
lighter  than  themselves,99  No.  181.  7.  "On  the  Tides/' 
No.  184.  8.  "  Observations  of  Eclipses.99  No.  164—185. 
9.  "  Why  celestial  objects  appear  greatest  near  the  ho- 
rizon.9* No.  187.  10.  "On  the  errors  of  Surveyors, 
arising  from  the  variation  of  the  Magnetic-needle,9* 
No.  230. - 

MOLYNEUX  (Samuel)  son  of  the  above,  was  born  at 
Chester  in  July  1689,  and  educated  with,  great  care  by 
his  father,  according  to  the  plan  laid  down  by  Locke  upon' 
that  subject.     When  his  father  died,  be  was  committed  to 
the  care  of  his  uncle  Dr.  Thomas  Molyneux,  an  excellent 

*  We  have  an  instance  of  a  singular  Locs;e,  "  have  been  mere  ballad-ma- 

coincidence  of  opinion  between  Locke  kers   in   comparison  of  him."     An<t 

and  Molyneux*    Molyneux  had  a  high  Locke,  in  bis  answer,  says,  "  I  find, 

opinion  of   sir  Richard   Blackmore's  with    pleasure,     a    strange    harmony 

poetic  vein :  "  All  our  English  poets,  throughout,    between  your    thoughts) 

except  Milton,"  says  he  in  a  letter  to  and  mine."* 

»  Bio*  Brit.— Harris's  Ware,— Martin's  Biog.  Pluto* 


MOLYNEUX.  ?2t 

scholar  and  physician  at  Dublin,  and  also  an  intimate  frien4 
pf  'Mr.  Locke ;  who  executed  his  trust  so  well,  that  Mr* 
JVioijneux  became  afterwards  a  most  polite  and  accom- 
plished gentleman,  and  was  made  secretary  t&  bis  late  ma- 
jesty George  II.  wben  he  was  prince  of  Wales.  Astronomy 
and  optics  being  his  favourite  study,  as  they  bad  been  his 
father'?,  he  projected  many  schemes  for  the  advancement 
of  them,  and  was  particularly  employed,  in  the  years  1723, 
1724,  and  1725,  in  perfecting  the  method  of  making  tele- 
acopes ;  one  of  which,  of  his  own  making,  hs  had  presented 
to  John  V.  king  of  Portugal.  In  the  midst  of  these  thoughts, 
being  appointed  a  commissioner  of  the  admiralty,  he  be- 
came so  engaged  in  public  affairs,  that  he  had  not  leisure 
to  pursue  these  inquiries  any  farther ;  and  gave  his  papers 
to  Dr.  Robert  Smith,  professor  of  astronomy  at  Cambridge, 
.whom  he  invited  to  make  use  of  his  house  and  apparatus  of 
instriupents,  in  order  to  finish  what  he  had  left  imper- 
fect. Mr.  Molynepx  dying  soon  after,  in  the  flower  of  his 
age,  Dr»  Smith  lost  the  opportunity ;  yet,  supplying 
what  wa#  wanting  from  Mr.  Huygens  and  others,  he  pub- 
lished the  whole  in  bis  "  Complete  Treatise  of  Optics." 

The  preceding  WiUisqi  Molyneux  had  also  a  brother, 
Thomas,  who  was  born  in  Dublin,  and  educated  partly 
in  the  university  there,  and  partly  at  Leyden  and  Paris* 
Returning  home,  he  became  professor  of  physic  in  the 
university  of  Dublin,  fellow  of  the  college  of  physicians, 
physician  to  the  state,  and  physician-general  to  the  army* 
fie  had  also  great  practice,  apd  in  173Q  was  created  a  ba- 
ronet He  died  Oct.  1 9,  1733.  Hf  had  been  a  felfow  of 
the  rpyal  society  of  London,  and  several  of  his  pieces  are 
published  ip  the  Transactions*  He  published,  separately, 
"  Some  Letters  to  Mr.  Locke,*1  Lond.  1708,  8vo.* 

MOLZA  (Francis-Maria),  an  eminent  Italian  and  La- 
tin poet,  was  .tarn  of  a  noble  family  at  Medena,  in  1489  ^ 
and,  after  being  educated  at  Rome,  where  he  made  extra- 
ordinary proficiency  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages,, 
juid  even  in  the  Hebrew,  be  was  recalled  to  Modeoa,  where, 
in  1512,  he  married,  and  intended  to  settle.  The  fame, 
bpwev^r,  of  L#q  X>  coprt,  lejd  him  about  four  years  after, 
Jback  to  Roto?,  where  be  formed  an  acquaintance  with  many 
eminent  sqhol^rs ;  but  appears  to  have.paicl  pto?e  attention 
to  the  cultivation  of  his  taste  than  his  morals,  as  he  formed 

i  Biog.  Brit—Ware^*  Ireland. 


*2*  M  O  L  Z  A, 

a  licentious  connexion  with  a  Roman  lady,  in  consequence 
of  which  he  received  a  wound  from  the  hand  of  an  un- 
known assassin,  which  had  nearly  cost  him  his  life.  Even 
when,  on  the  death  of  Leo  X.  he  left  Rome,  he  did  not 
return  to  his  family,  but  went  to  Bologna,  where  he  be- 
came enamoured  of  Camilla  Gonzaga,  a  lady  of  rank  and 
beauty,  and  a  warm  admirer  of  Italian  poetry.  His  life 
after  this  appears  to  have  been  wholly  divided  between 
poetry  and  dissipation ;  and  he  died  of  the  consequences  of 
the  latter,  in  1544.  His  Italian  and  Latin  poems  were  for 
many  years  published  in  detached  forms  until  1749,  when 
Serassi  produced  an  entire  edition  at  Bergamo. l 

MOLZA  (Tarquinia),  grand-daughter  to  the  precede 
ing>  by  Camillo,  his  eldest  son,  was  born  at  Modena  in 
1542.     She  was  instructed  in  the  classsics,  in  Hebrew,  and 
in  the  belles  lettres,  became  an  adept  in  some  of  the  ab- 
struser  branches  of  science,  and  was  a  proficient  in  music  ; 
and  with  all  these,  was  distinguished  by  the  graces  and 
amiable  qualities  of  her  sex.     She  was  married,  ih  1560,  to 
Paul  Porrino,  but  never  had  any  children ;  and  after  hia 
death,  in  1578,  she  passed  her  life  in  literary  retirement 
at  Modena,  where  she  died  in  1617.     Her  writings,  v  con- 
sisting of  Latin  and  Italian  poems,  translations  from  Plato, 
and  other  classics,  were  printed  in  the  Bergamo  editi6it 
of  Iter  grandfather's  works.     This  lady  was  the  subject  of 
numerous  eulogies  from  contemporary  writers ;  but  the 
most  extraordinary  honour  that  she  received,  was  that  of 
being  presented  with  the  citizenship   of  Rome,  by  the 
senate  and  people  of  that  city,  in  a  patent  reciting  her 
singular  merits,  and  conferring  upon  her  the  title  of  Unica. 
The  honour  is  extended  to  the  whole  noble  family  of 
Molza,  *       " 

MOMBRITIUS,  or  MOMBRIZIO  (Boninus),  a  na- 
tive of  Milan,  who  flourished  in  the  fifteenth  century,  oh- 
tained  considerable  reputation  for  some  Latin  poems,  par- 
ticularly one  on  "  The  Passion,"  but  his  most  celebrated 
work  was  a  collection  of  the  "  Lives  of  the  Saints/9  not  a 
confused  and  credulous  compilation,  but  which  exceeded 
all  preceding  works  of  the  kind,  by  the  pains  he  took  to 
distinguish  truth  from  fable.  This  he  was  enabled  to  do 
by  a  judicious  examination  of  all  the  existing  authorities, 

*  Tiraboschi.— Roscoe>s  LeoX.— Gen.  Diet, 

*  Geo.  DicL-rMwrtri.— Tirfttotchi* 


MOMBRITIUS;  229 

• 

and  by  availing  himself  of  many  MSS.  which  he  discovered 
in  public  libraries,  and  carefully  collated.  In  some  in* 
sxances  he*  has  admitted  supposed  for  real  facts,  but  in 
such  a  vast  collection,  a  few  mistakes  of  this  kind  are  par- 
donable, especially  as  he  brought  to  light  much  informa- 
tion not  before  made  public.  This  work,  which  is  of  un- 
common rarity  and  great  price,  is  entitled  "  Sanctuarium, 
sive  vitse  Sanctorum,9'  2  vols.  fol.  without  date  or  place, 
but  supposed  to  have  been  printed  at  Milan  about  1479. 
Some  copies  want  the  last  leaf  of  signature  Nnnn,  but  even 
with  that  defect  bear  a  very  high  price. ' 

MONANTHEUIL  (Henry  de),  an  able  mathematical 
^nd  medical  writer,  was  born  at  Rheims  about  1536,  of  a 
family  which  possessed  the^estate  of  Monantheuil  in  the 
Vermandois,  in  Picardy.  He  was  educated  at  Paris  in  the, 
college  de  Presles,  under  Ramus,  to  whose  philosophical 
opinions  he  constantly  adhered.  Having  an  equal  inclina- 
tion and  made  equal  progress  in  mathematics  and  medicine, 
he  was  first  chosen  professor  of  medicine,  and  dean  of  that 
faculty,  and  afterwards  royal  professor  of  mathematics. 
While  holding  the  latter  office  he  had  the  celebrated  De 
Thou  and  Peter  Lamoignon  among  the  number  of  his 
scholars.  During  the  troubles  of  the  League,  he  remained 
faithful  to  his  king,  and  even  endangered  his  personal 
safety  by  holding  meetings  in  his  house,  under  pretence 
of  scientific  conversations,  but  really  to  concert  measures 
for  restoring  Paris  to  Henry  IV.  He  died  in  1606,  in  the 
seventieth  year  of  his  age.  His  works  are,  1.  "  Oratio  pro 
mathematicis  artibus,"  Paris,  1574,  4to.  2.  "  Admonitio 
ad  Jacobum  Peletarium  de  angulo  contactus,"  ibid.  1581, 
4to.  3.  "  Oratio  pro  suo  in  Regiam  cathedram  ritu,"  ibid. 
1585,  8vo.  4.  "  Panegyricus  dictus  Henrico  IV.  statim  a 
felicissima  et  auspicatissima  urbis  restitutione,"  &c.  ibid* 
1594,  translated  into  French  in  1596.  5.  "  Oratio  qua 
ostenditur  quale  esse  debeat  collegium  professorum  regio- 
rum,"  &c.  ibid.  1596,  8vo.  6.  "  Commentarius  in  librum 
Aristotelis  ntp  tmv  /mixowimw,"  Gr.  and  Lat.  ibid.  1599,  4to». 
7.  "  Ludus  latromathematicus,"  &c.  ibid  1597,  8vo,  and 
1700.  8.  "  De  puncto  primo  Geometric  principio  liber,'* 
Leyden,  1600,  4to.  This  was  at  one  time  improperly  attri- 
buted to  his  son,  Thierry.  9.  "  Problematis  omnium  quae 
a  1200  annis  invents  sunt  nobilissimi  demonstration  Paris, 

1  Tiraboschi.— Moreri.— Brunei'*  Manuel  du  Llbraire. 


ti6  M-O  N  A  R  t>  E  S. 

* 

1 600.  He  left  some  other  works,  both  MS.  and  printed, 
of  less  consequence. ! 

MONARDES  (Nicholas),  a  Spanish  physician,  waa 
born  at  Seville  in  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  centtny.. 
He  received  his  education  at  the  university  ofAlcalade 
Henarez,  and  settled  in  practice  at  Seville,  where  he  died 
in  1578.  The  first  of  his  writings  related  to  a  controverted 
question,  and  was  entitled  "  De  secanda  vena  in  Pleuritide 
inter  -Graecos  et  Arabes  concordia,"  Hispal.  l$39.  This 
was  followed  by  a  tract,  "  De  Rosa  et  partibus  ejus ;  de 
succi  Rosarum  temperatura,"  &c.  But  his  reputation  was 
chiefly  extended  by  his  work,  in  the  Spanish  language, 
concerning  the  medicinal  substances  imported  from  the 
flew  world,  entitled  "  Dos  Libros  de  las  cosas  qiie  se  traen 
de  las  Indias  Occiden tales,  que  sirven  al  uso  de  Medicina,'* 
Sevilla,  1565.  It  was  reprinted  in  1569  and  1580,  and  to 
the  latter  edition  a  third  book  was  added.  Charles TEcluse* 
or  Clusius,  translated  this  work  into  Latin,  with  the  title 
of  "  Simplicium  Medicamentorum  ex  novo  orbe  delatorum, 
quorum  in  Medicina  usus  est,  Hiitoria,"  Antw.  1574,  and 
improved  it  by  his  annotations,  and  by  the  addition  of 
figures.  This  work  was  also  translated  into  Italian,  French, 
and  English,  the  latter  by  Frampton;  1580,  4to,  Although 
the  descriptions  are  inaccurate,  the  work  had  at  least  the 
merit  of  exciting  the  public  attention  to  medicines  hereto- 
fore little  known.  Monardes  also  published  three  works 
in  Spanish,  which  were  translated  into  Latin  by  1' Eel  use, 
with  the  title  of  "  Nicolai  Monardi  Libri  tres,  magna  Me- 
dicines secreta  et  varia  Experimenta  continentes,"  Lugd« 

1601.  The  first  of  these  relates  to  the  lsfpis  bezoardicus  ; 
the  second,  to  the  use  and  properties  of  steel,  which  he 
was  the  first  after  Rhazes  to  recommend  as  a  deobstruent, 
acoording  to  Dr.  Freind  ;  and  the  third,  to  the  efficacy  of 
snow.  His  name  is  pert/etuated  by  the  botanical  genua 
Monarda,  in  the  class  dimdria  of  Linnaeus.  * 

MONBODDO.     See  BURNET,  James. 

MONCALVO.     SeeCACCIA. 

MONCKTON  (Sir  Philip,  knt.),  was  the  son  of  sir 
Francis  Monckton,  knt.  of  Cavil  Hall,  and  of  Newbold,  both 
in  the  East-riding  of  Yorkshire,  and  descended  from  an 

*  Niccron,  vol.  XV.— Moreri.— Eloy,  Diet.  Hist,  de  Medicine.— Gen.  Diet.-** 
Saxii  Onomast. 

*  Antonio  BibI,  Hisp.— Moreii.— Elojr,  Diet,  Hist,  dt  Medktue.-rReet 's  Cy -. 
dop»dia. 


MONCKTON,  jtU 

apcieot  family  in  that  county,  who  possessed  the  tordsbfp 
of  Monckton  before  the  place  was  made  *  nunnery,  which 
Was  ia  the  20th  Edward  II.  (1326).  Sir  Philip  was  born  at 
Heck,  near  Howden,  in  Yorkshire,  and  was  high  sheriff 
for  that  county  in  the  21st  Charles  II.  (1669).  He  served 
for  some  time  in  parliament  for  Scarborough,  and  had  been 
knighted  in  1643.  His  loyalty  to  Charles  I.  brought  him 
under  the  cognizance  of  the  usurpers,  and  for  his  loyal 
services  be  underwent  two  banishments,  and  several  impri- 
sonments during  the  course  of , the  civil  war;  his  grand- 
father, father,  and  himself,  being  a,U  at  one  time  seques* 
tered  by  Cromwell.  In  consideration  of  these  services 
and  sufferings,  king  Charles  II.  in  1653,  wrote  a  letter  to 
him  in  his  own  band  (which  was  delivered  by  major  Waters) 
promising  that  if  it  pleased  God  to  restore  him,  be  should 
share  with  him  in  his  prosperity,  as  he  had  been  conteut 
to  do  in.  his  adversity ;  but  he  afterwards  experienced  the- 
same  ingratitude  as  many  of  his  father's  friends,  for  when 
he  waited  on  the  lord  chancellor  Clarendon  with  a  recom- 
mendation from  the  earl  of  Albemarle  for  some  compen- 
sation for  his  services,  he  was  treated  with  the  utmost  inso- 
lence, and  dismissed  with  marked  contempt.  Sir  Philip 
had  been  a  prisoner  in  Belvoir  castle,  and  was  released  on 
col.  Rossiter's  letter  to  the  lord  general  Fairfax  in  his  fa- 
vour. He  fought  at  the  several  battles  of  Hessey  Moor, 
Marston  Moor,  Aderton  Moor,  and  at  Rowton  Heath,  near 
Chester,  where  he  was  wounded  in  his  right  arm,  and  was 
forced  to  manage  his  horse  with  bis  teeth  whilst  he  fought 
with  his  left,  when  he  was  again  wounded  and  taken  pri- 
soner. He  was  likewise  at  the  siege  of  Pontefract  castle, 
and  at  York.  He  married  miss  Eyre,  of  an  ancient  family, 
of  Hassop,  in  Derbyshire.  His  manuscripts  are  now  in 
the  possession  of  his  descendant,  the  lord  viscount  Gal  way,1 
MONCKTON  (Hon.  Robert),  great  grandson  of  the 
preceding,  and  a  major-gefteral  in  the  army,  was  born 
about  1728,  and  was  the  son  of  John  Monckton,  the  first 
viscount  Galway,  and  baron  of  Killard,  by  his  wife  the  lady 
Elizabeth  Manners,  daughter  to  John  second  duke  of  Rut- 
land. He  was  sent  with  a  detachment  to  Nova  Scotia  in 
1755,  and  served  under  general  Wolfe  against  Quebec* 
He  dislodged  a -body  of  the  enemy  from  the  point  of  Levi, 
and  formed  a  plan  for  tending  the  troops,  near  the  heights 

%  i  Lodge's  Pepjntge.— •Print*  raformaiiot. 


934  MONCKTOM. 

of  Abraham,  and  assisted  in  the  execution  for  conducting 
the  right  wing  at  the  battle  of  Quebec,  where  be  was  danger- 
ously wounded.  He  received  the  thanks  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  and  afterwards  went  to  New  York,  where  be  reco- 
vered of  his  wounds.  He  was  also  at  the  taking  of  Mar- 
tinico,  and  was  sometime  governor  of  Portsmouth,  where 
Fort  Monckton  was  so  called  in  honour  of  him.  He  died  in 
1782,  leaving  the  character  of  a  brave,  judicious,  and  bu- 
tane officer.  In  bis  account  of  the  taking  of  Martinico 
in  1762,  be  mentions  an  attack  made  by  the  French  troops 
from  Morne  Gamier  on  some  of  our  posts,  in  which  they 
were  repulsed,  and  such  was  the  ardour  of  our  troops, 
that  they  passed  the  ravine  with  the  enemy,  seized  their 
batteries,  and  took  post  there.  It  is  also  said  that  on  this 
occasion  the  English  party  had  no  colours  with  them  when 
they  took  possession  of  the  batteries,  and  supplied  the  want 
of  them  by  a  shirt  and  a  red  waistcoat.  From  the  many 
instances  which  have  been  given  of  General  Monckton's 
liberality,  the  following  may  be  selected  as  deserving  to 
be  remembered.  When  the  troops  were  sent  to  Martinico, 
general  Amherst  took  away  the  usual  allowance  of  bangh 
and  forage-money.  General  Monckton,  knowing  the  dif- 
ficulties which  subaltern  officers  have  to  struggle  with  in 
the  best  situation,  felt  for  their  distress,  and  in  some  de- 
gree to  make  it  up  to  them,  ordered  the  negroes  which 
were  taken,  to  be  sold,  and  the  money  divided  among  the 
subalterns.  On  finding  that  it  would  not  produce  them 
five  pounds  a-piece,  he  said  he  could  not  offer  a  gentleman 
a  less  sum,  and  made  up  the  deficiency,  which  was  about 
SOOl.  out  of  his  own  pocket.  He  kept  a  constant  table  of 
forty  covers  for  the  army,  and  ordered  that  the  subalterns 
chiefly  should  be  invited,  saying,  he  had  been  one  himself; 
and  if  there  was  a  place  vacant,  he  used  to  reprimand  his 
aid-de-camp. ' 

MONCONYS  (Balthasar),  a  celebrated  traveller,  was 
the  son  of  the  lieutenant-criminel  of  Lyons.  After  having 
studied  philosophy  and  mathematics  in  bis  native  city  and 
in  Spain,  he  visited  the  East  in  order  to  seek  for  the  books 
of  Mercurius  Trismegistus  and  Zoroaster ;  but  finding  no- 
thing to  detain  him,  returned  to  France,  and  was  esteemed 
by  the  learned,  particularly  the  amateurs  of  chemistry 
and  astrology.     He  died  April  28, 1665.     His  travels  have 

l  Geat  Mag.    See  Index*— Private  infbrmatioa. 


MONCONY8.  233 

Wen  printed  under  the  title  of  "  Journal  de  *es  voyages 
eti  Portugal,  Provence,  Italie,  Egypt,  &c.  &c.  redigg  par 
le  sieur  de  Liergues,  son  fils,"  Lyons,  1665 — 6,  3  vols.  4to. 
They  are  ill-written,  bis  style  being  loose  and  diffuse, 
but  they  contain  many  curious  particulars.  It  appears 
that  he  was  in  England  in  1663,  as  he  gives  several  in- 
teresting anecdotes  of  the  court  of  Charles  II.  and  of  tbe 
manners  of  the  times.  He  travelled  through  various  coun« 
tries  as  tutor  to  the  sons  of  noblemen,  one  of  whom,  the 
duke  de  Chevereuse,  was  with  him  in  England.  Brunet 
gives  the  title  of  what  appears  to  be  another  work  of  travels 
by  Monconys,  "  Voyage  en  divers  endroits  de  l'Europe,  en 
Afrique  et  au  Levant,9'  Paris  (Holland)  1695,  5  vols.  12 mo.* 

MONCRIF  (Francis  Augustin  Paradis  de),  a  member 
of  the  French  academy,  was  born  at  Paris  in  1687.  He 
was  a  very  elegant  writer,  and  his  works  have  gone  through 
various  editions.  His  principal  performances  are,  "  An 
Essay  on  the  necessity  and  means  of  Pleasing,"  which  is 
an  ingenious  book  of  maxims.  He  wrote  "  Les  Ames 
Rivales,"  an  agreeable  romance,  containing  lively  and 
just  descriptions  of  French  manners.  He  was  also1  author 
of  various  pieces  of  poetry,  small  theatrical  pieces,  com- 
plimentary verses,  madrigals,  &c.  Moncrif  died  at  Paris 
in  1770,  at  the  age  of  eighty- three,  and  left  behind  him  a 
great  character  for  liberality,  and  amiable  manners.  * 

MONDINO.     See  MUNDINUS. 

MONGAULT  (Nicolas  Hubert),  an  ingenious  and 
learned  Frenchman,  and  one  of  the  best  writers  of  bis  time, 
was  born  at  Paris  in  1674.  At  sixteen  he  entered  into  the 
congregation  of  the  fathers  of  the  oratory,  and  was  after- 
wards sent  to  Mans  to  learn  philosophy.  That  of  Aristotle 
then  obtained  in  the  schools,  and  was  the  only  one  which 
was  permitted  to  be  taught ;  nevertheless  Mongault,  with 
some  of  that  original  spirit  which  usually  distinguishes  men 
of  uncommon  abilities  from  the  vulgar,  ventured,  in  a 
public  thesis,  which  he  read  at  the  end  of  the  course  of 
lectures,  to  oppose  the  opinions  of  Aristotle,  and  to  main- 
tain those  of  Des  Cartes.  Having  studied  theology  with 
the  same  success,  he  quitted  the  oratory  in  1699  ;  and 
soon  after  went  to  Thoulouse,  and  lived  with  Colbert, 
archbishop  of  that  place,  who  had  procured  him  a  priory 

*  Moreri.— -Maty's  Review,  toI.  V.  p.  39. 

*  Neurologic  des  Homines  Celebres,  for  1771.-- D'Alembert's  Hist,  des  Meia- 
fcres  de  P Academic.— Diet  Hist. 


6U  MONGAniT/ 

in  1698;  In  i710  the  duke  of  Orleans,  regent  of  theking*? 
doto,  committed  to  him  the  education  of  bis  son,  the  diike 
of  Ghartres ;  which  important  office  he  discharged  bo  well 
that  he  acquired  universal  esteem.  In  1714,  he  had  the 
abbey  Chartreuve  given  him,  and  that  of  Villeneuve  in 
1719.  The  duke  of  Chartres,  becoming  colonel-general 
of  the  French  infantry,  chose  the  abW  Mongault  to  fill  the 
place  of  secretary-general ;  made  him  also  secretary  of  the 
province  of  Dauphiny ;  and,  after  the  death  of  the  regent, 
his  father,  raised  him  to  other  considerable  employments* 
All  this  while  he  was  as  assiduous  as  his  engagements  WouIc| 

1>ermit  in  cultivating  polite  literature ;  and,  in  1 7 14,  pub-* 
ished  at  Paris,  in  6  vols.  12mo,  an  edition  of  "  Tolly's 
Letters  to  Atticus,"  with  an  excellent  French  translation, 
and  judicious  comment  upon  them.  This  work  has  been 
often  reprinted,  and  is  justly  reckoned  admirable  ;  for,  as 
Middleton  has  observed,  in  the  preface  to  his  "  Life  of 
Cicero,"  the  abb6  Mongault  "  did  not  content  himself  with 
the  retailing  the  remarks  of  other  commentators,  or  out  of 
the  rubbish  of  their  volumes  with  selecting  the  best,  but 
entered  upon  his  task  with  the  spirit  of  a  true  critic,  and,  by 
the  force  of  his  own  genius,  has  happily  illustrated  many 
passages  which  all  the  interpreters  before  him  had  given 
up  as  inexplicable."  He  published  also  a  very  good  trans- 
lation of  "  Herodian,"  from  the  Greek,  the  best  edition) 
of  which  is  that  of  1745,  in  12mo.  He  died  at  Paris, 
Aug.  15,  1746,  aged  almost  seventy-two. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  French  academy,  and  of  the 
academy  of  inscriptions  and  belles  lettres ;  and  was  fitted 
to  do  honour  to  any  society.  In  the  first  volume  of  the 
*'  Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of  Inscriptions"  there  are  two 
fine  dissertations  of  his  :  one  "  upon  the  divine  honours 
paid  to  the  governors  of  the  Roman  provinces,  during  the 
continuance  of  the  republic ;"  the  other,  "  upon  the  tem- 
ple, which  Cicero  conceived  a  design  of  consecrating  to 
the  memory  of  his  beloved  daughter  Tullia,  under  the  title 
ofFanum."1 

MONK  (George),  duke  of  Albemarle,  memorable  for 
having  been  the  principal  instrument  in  the  restoration  of 
Charles  II.  to  his  crown  and  kingdoms,  was  descended  from 
a  very  ancient  family,  and  born  at  Pothe ridge,  in  Devon- 
shire, Dec.  6,  1608.     He  was  a  younger  son;  and,  ns 

1  Moreri.— Diet  Hipt. 


M  0  N  tf.  235 

provision  being  expected  from  bis  father,  sir  Thomas  Monk, 
whose  fortune  was  reduced,  he  dedicated'  himself  to  arm* 
from  his  youth.     He  entered  in  1625,  when  not  quite  se- 
venteen, as  a  volunteer  tinder  sir  Richard  Grenville,  then 
at  Plymouth,  and  just  setting  out  under  lord  Wimbledon 
cm  the  expedition  against  Spain.     The  year  after  he  ob- 
tained a  pair  of  colours,  in  the  expedition  to  the  isle  of 
Rhee;  whence  returning  in  1628,  he  served  the  following 
year  as  ensign  in  the  Low  Countries,  where  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  captain.     In  this  station  he  was  pre- 
sent in  several  sieges  arid  battles ;  and  having,  in  ten  years 
service,  made  himself  absolute  master  of  the  military  art, 
be  returned  to  his  native  country  on  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war  between  Charles  I.  and  his  Scotish  subjects.     His 
rteptftation,  supported  by  proper  recommendations,  pro- 
Cured  him  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  in  which  post  be 
served  in  both  the  king's  northern  expeditions;  and  was' 
afterwards  a.  colonel,  when  the  Irish  rebellion  took  place. 
In  the  suppression  of  this  he  did  such  considerable  service, 
that  the  lords  justices  appointed  him  governor  of  Dublin  : 
but  the  parliament  intervening,  that  authority  was  vested 
in  another:4   Soon  after,  on  his  signing  a  truce  with  the 
rebels,  by  the  king's  order,  September  1643,  he  returned 
with  his  regiment  to  England ;  but,  on  his  arrival  at  Bris- 
tol, was  met  by  orders  both  from  Ireland  and  Oxford,  di- 
recting the  governor  of  that  place  to  secure  him.     The 
governor,    however,    believing  the   suspicions  conceived 
against  him  groundless,  sutfered  him  to  proceed  to  Oxford 
on  his  bare  parole ;  and  there  he  so  fully  justified  himself 
to  lord  Digby,  then  secretary  of  state,  that  he  was  by  that 
nobleman  introduced  to  the  king;  but  his  regiment  was 
given  to  colonel  Warren,  who  had  been  his  major.     As 
some  amends  for  this,  the  king  made  him  major-general  in 
the  Irish  brigade,  then  employed  in  the  siege  of  Nantwich, 
in  Cheshire;  at  which  place  he  arrived  just  soon  enough 
to  share  in  the  unfortunate  surprisal  of  that  whole  brigade 
by  sir  Thothas  Fairfax.     He  was  sent  to  Hull,  and  thence 
conveyed  in  a  short  time  to  the  Tower  of  London,  where 
he  remained  in  close  confinement  till  Nov.  13,  1646;  and 
then,  as  the  only  means  to  be  set  at  liberty,  he  took  the 
Covenant,  -engaged  with  the   parliament,   and   agreed  to 
accept  a  command  under  them  in  the  Irish  service.     Some 
have  charged  him  with  ingratitude  for  thus  deserting  the 
king,  who  had  beea  very  kind  to  him  during  his  con- 


236  MONK. 

« 

finement,  and  in  particular  had  sent  him  from  Oxford 
100/.  which  was  a  great  sum  for  his  majesty,  then  much 
distressed.  It  has,  however,  been  pleaded  in  his  favour, 
that  he  never  listened  to  any  terms  made  him  by  the  parlia- 
mentarians while  the  king  had  an  army  on  foot.  Whatever 
strength  may  be  in  this  apology,  it  is  certain  that  when 
bis  majesty  was  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  he  readily 
accepted  of  a  colonel's  commission ;  and,  as  he  had  been 
engaged  against  the  Irish  rebels  before,  he  thought  it  con- 
sistent with  the  duty  he  owed,  and  which  be  had  hitherto 
inviolably  maintained  to  the  king,  to  oppose  them  again. 
H5  set  out  for  Ireland,  Jan.  28, 1646-7,  but,  returned  in 
April  on  account  of  some  impediments.  Soon  after,  he 
had  the  command  in  chief  of  all  the  parliament's  forces  ii* 
the  north  of  Ireland  conferred  upon  him  ;  upon  which  he 
went  again,  and  for  the  following  two  years  performed 
several  exploits  worthy  of  an  able  and  experienced  soldier. 
Then  he  was  called  to  account  for  having  treated  with  the 
Irish  rebels ;  and  summoned  to  appear  before  the  parlia- 
ment, who,  after  hearing  him .  at  the  bar  of  the  house, 
passed  this  vote,  Aug.  10,  1649,  "That  tbey  did  disap- 
prove of  what  major-general  Monk  had  done,  in  conclud- 
ing a  peace  with  the  grand  and  bloody  Irish  rebel,  Owen 
Roe  O'Neal,  and  did  abhor  the  having  any  thing  to  do 
with  him  therein  ;  yet  are  easily  persuaded,  that  the  mak- 
ing the  same  by  the  said  major-general  was,  in  his  judg- 
ment, most  for  the  advantage  of  the  English  interest  in 
that  nation ;  and,  that  he  shall  not  be  farther  questioned 
for  the  same  in  time  to  come."  This  vote  highly  offended 
the  major-general,  though  not  so  much  as  some  passages 
in  the  House,  reflecting  on  his  honour  and  fidelity.  He 
was,  perhaps,  the  more  offended  at  this  treatment,  as  he 
was  not  employed  in  the  reduction  of  Ireland  under  Oliver 
Cromwell ;  who,  all  accounts  agree,  received  considerable 
advantage  from  this  very  treaty  with  O'Neal.  Monk's 
friends  endeavoured  to  clear  his  reputation ;  his  reasons 
for  agreeing  with  O'Neal  were  also  printed ;  yet  nothing, 
could  wipe  off  the  stain  of  treating  with  Irish  rebels,  till  it. 
was  forgotten  in  bis  future  fortune. 

About  this  time  his  elder  brother  died  without  issue  male; 
and  the  family  estate  by  entail  devolving  upon  bim,  he. 
repaired  it  from  the  ruinous  condition  in  which  his  father 
and  brother  had  left  it.  He  had  scarce  settled  bis 
private  affairs,  when  he  was  called  to  serve  against  the 


MONK.  CS7 

Scots  (who  had  proclaimed  Charles  II.)  under  Oliver  Crom- 
well ;  by  whom  he  was  made  lieutenant-general  of  the  »r- 
tillery,  and  had  a  regiment  given  him.  His  services  were 
now  so  important,  that  Cromwell  left  him  commander  in 
chief  in  Scotland,  when  he  returned  to  England  to  pursue 
Charles  II.  In  1652,  be  wa$  seized  with  a  violent  fit  of 
illness,  which  obliged  him  to  go  to  Bath  for  the  recovery 
of  his  health :  after  which,  he  set  out  again  for  Scotland, 
was  one  of  the  commissioners  for  uniting  that  kingdom  with 
the  new-erected  commonwealth,  and,  having  successfully 
concluded  it,  returned  to  London.  The  Dutch  war  having 
now  been  carried  on  for  some  months,  lieutenant-general 
Monk  was  joined  with  the  admirals  Blake  and  Dean  in  the 
command  at  sea;  in  which  service,  June  2,  1653,  he  conr 
tributed  greatly  by  his  courage  and  conduct  to  the  defeat 
of  the  Dutch  fleet.  Monk  and  Dean  were  on  board  the 
same  ship ;  and,  Dean  being  killed  the  first  broadside, 
Monk  threw  his  cloak  over  the  body,  and  gave  orders  for 
continuing  the  fight,  without  suffering  the  enemy  to  know 
that  we  had  lost  one  of  our  admirals.  Cromwell,  in  the 
mean  time,  was  paving  bis  way  to  the  supreme  command, 
which,  Dec.  16,  1653,  he  obtained,  under  the  title  of  pro- 
tector ;  and,  in  this  capacity,  soon  concluded  a  peace' with 
the  Dutch.  Monk  remonstrated  warmly  against  the  terms 
of  this  peace ;  and  bis  remonstrances  were  well  received 
by  Oliver's  own  parliament.  Monk  also,  on  his  return 
home,  was  treated  so  respectfully  by  them,  that  Oliver  is 
said  to  have  grown  jealous  of  him,  as  if  he  had  been  in- 
clined to  another  interest,  but,  receiving  satisfaction  from 
the  general  on  that  head,  he  not  only  took  him  into  favour, 
but,  on  the  breaking  out  of  fresh  troubles  in  Scotland,  sent 
him  there  as  commander  in  chief.  He  set  out  in  April 
1654,  and  finished  the  war  by  August;  when  he  returned 
from  the  Highlands,  and  fixed  his  abode  at  Dalkeith,  a 
seat  belonging  to  the  countess  of  Buccleugh,  within  five 
miles  of  Edinburgh :  and  here  he  resided  during  the  re- 
maining time  that  he  stayed  in  Scotland,  which  was  five 
years,  amusing  himself  with  rural  pleasures,  and  beloved 
by  the  people,  though  his  government  was  more  arbitrary 
than  any  they  had  experienced.  He  exercised  this  go- 
vernment as  one  of  the  protector's  council  of  state  in  Scot- 
land, whose  commission  bore  date  in  June  1655.  Crom- 
well, however,  could  not  help  distrusting  him  at  times,  on 
account  of  his  popularity ;  nor  was  this  distrust  entirely 


$3#  MONK, 

without  the  appearance  of  foundation.  It  is  certain  the 
Jtipg  entertained  good  hopes  of  him,  and  to  that  purpose 
sent  to  him  the  followiug  letter  from  Colen,  Aug.  12,  165% 

"  One,  who  believes  be  knows  your  nature  and  incliiiar 
•tions  very  well,  assures  me,  that,  notwithstanding  all  iU 
accidents  and  misfortunes,,  jou  retain  still  your  old  affec* 
tion  to  me,  and  resolve  to  express  it  upon  the  first  season? 
able  opportunity ;  which  is  as  much  as  I  look  for  from  yo.vu 
We  must  all  patiently  wait  for  that  opportunity,  which  may 
be  offered  sooner  than  we  expect :  when  it  is,  let  it  find 
you  ready ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  have  a  care  to  keep 
yourself  out  of  their  hands,  who  know  the  hurt  ybu  can  da 
them  in  a  good  conjuncture,  and  can  never  but  suspect 
your  affection  to  be,  as  I  am  confident  4t  is,  towards 

Yours,  &c.  Charles  Rjbx." 

However,  Monk  made  no  scruple  of  discovering  every 
step  taken  by  the  cavaliers  which  came  to  his  knowledge, 
even  to  the  sending  the  protector  this  letter;  and  joined 
in  promoting  addresses  to  him  from  the  army,  one  of  which 
was  received  by  the  protector  March  19,  1657,  in  which 
year  Monk  received  a  summons  to  Oliver's  house  of  lords. 
Upon  the  death  of  Oliver,  Monk  joined  in  an  address  to 
the  new  protector  Richard,  whose  power,  nevertheless,  he 
foresaw  would  be  but  short-lived ;  it.  having  been  bis  epi* 
nion,  that  Oliver,  had  he  lived  much  longer,  would  scarce 
have  been  able  to  preserve  .himself  in  his  station.    And 
indeed  Cromwell  himself  began  to,  he  apprehensive  pf  that 
.great  alteration  which  happened  after  his  death,  and  fear- 
ful that  the  general  was  deeply  engaged  in  those  measures 
which  procured  it ;  if  we  may  judge  from  a  letter  written 
by  him  to  general  Monk  a  little  before,  to  which  was  added 
the  following  remarkable  postscript :  "  There  be  that  tell 
.me,  that  there  is.a  certain. cunning. fellow  in  Scotland,. called 
George  Monk,  who  is  said  to  lie  in  wait  there  to  introduce 
Charles  Stuart ;  I  pray  you,  use  your  diligence  to  appre- 
-hend  him,  and.  send  him  up  to  me."     It  belongs  to  history 
to  relate  all  the  steps  which  led  to  .the  restoration  of  Charles 
II.  and  which  were  ably  conducted  by  Monk*    Immedi- 
ately after  that  event,  he  was  loaded  with  pensions,  and 
honours ;  was  made  knight  of  the  garter,  one  of  the  privy*- 
council,  master  of  the  horse,  a  gentleman  of  the  bed- 
chamber, first  lordncommissioner  of  the  treasury ; .  and  soon 
after  created  a  peer,  being  made  baron  Monk  of  Potheridge, 
Beauchamp,  and  Tees,  earl  of  Torjriqgtoo,  4aod  duke  of 


'        MONK.  23* 

Albemarle,  with  a  grant  of  70007.  per  annum,  estate  of 
inheritance,  besides  other  pensions.     He  received  a  very 
peculiar  acknowledgment  of  regard  on  being  thus  called 
to  the  peerage;  almost  the  whole  house  of  commons  at- 
tending him  to  the  very  door  of  the  house  of  lords,  while 
be  behaved  with  great  moderation,  silence,  and  humility. 
This  behaviour  was  really  to  be  admired  in  a  man,  who, 
by  his  personal  merit,  had  raised  himself  within  the  reach 
of  a  crown,  which  he  had  the  prudence,  or  the  virtue,  to 
wave :  yet  he  preserved  it  to  the  end  of  his  life  :  insomuch, 
that  the  king,  who  used  to  call  him  bis  political  father,  said9 
very  highly  to  his  honour,  "  the  dtfke  of  Albemarle  de- 
meaned himself  in  such  a  manner  to  the  prince  he  had 
obliged,  as  never  to  seem. to  overvalue  the  services  of  ge- 
neral Monk."     During  the  remainder  of  his  life  he  was 
consulted  and  employed  upoq  all  great  occasions  by  the 
king,  and  at  the  same  time  appears  to  have  been  esteemed 
.and  beloved  by  his  fellow-subjects.  In  1664,  on  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  first  Dutch  war,  he  was,  by  the  duke  of  York, 
who  commanded  the  fleet,  intrusted  with  the  care  of  the 
admiralty  :  and,  the  plague  breaking  out  the  same  year  in 
London,  he  was  intrusted  likewise  with  the  care  of  the  city 
by  the  king,  who  retired  to  Oxford.    He  was,  at  the  latter 
end  of  the  year,  appointed  joint-admiral  of  the  fleet  with 
prince  Bupert,  and, distinguished  himself  with  great  bra- 
very against  the  Dutch.    In  September  1666,  the  fire  of 
London  occasioned  the  Duke  of  Albemarle  to  be  recalled 
from  the  fleet,  to  assist  in  quieting  the  ixiinds  of  the  people ; 
who  expressed  their  affection  and  esteem  for  him,  by  crying 
out  publicly,  as  he  passed  through  the  ruined  streets,  that, 
"  if  his  grace  bad  been  there,  the  city  had  not  bejen  burned.'* 
The  many  hardships  and  fatigues  he  had  undergone  in  a 
military  life  began  to  shake  his  constitution  somewhat  early; 
so  that  about  his  60th  year  he  was  attacked  with  a  dropsy;; 
.which,  being  too  much  neglected,  perhaps  on  account  of 
his  having  been,  hitherto  remarkably  healthy,   advanced 
very  rapidly,  and  put  a  period  to  his  life,  Jan.  3,  1669-70, 
when  he  was  entering  his  62dyear.  He  died  in  the  esteem 
jof  his  sovereign,  and  his  brother  -the  duke  of  York,  as  ap- 
pears  not  only  from  the  high  posts  he  enjoyed,  and  the 
-great  trust  reposed  in  him  by  both,  but  also  from  the  tender 
•concern  shewn  by  them,  in  a  constant  inquiry  after  his 
state  during  his  last  illness,  and  the  public  and  princely 
regajrd  paid  to  his  memory  after  his  decease  4  for,  hisfu~ 


*40  M  ONfc 

neral  was  honoured  with  all  imaginable  pomp  and  solentf-* 
nity,  and  his  ashes  admitted  to  mingle  with  those  of  the 
royal  blood;  he  being  interred,  April  4,  1670,  in  Henry 
the  Vllth's  chapel  at  Westminster,  after  his  corpse  bad 
lain  in  state  many  weeks  at  Somerset-house. 

The  duke  of  Albemarle's  character  has  been  variously 
represented,  and  some  parts  of  it  cannot,  perhaps,  be  de- 
fended without  an  appeal  to  those  principles  of  policy 
which  are  frequently  at  variance  with  morality.  Hume, 
however,  thinks  it  a  singular  proof  of  the  strange  power 
of  faction,  that  any  malignity  (alluding  to' such  writers  as 
Burnet,  Harris,  &c.)  should  pursue  the  memory  of  a  no- 
bleman, the  tenour  of  whose  life  was  so  unexceptionable, 
and  who,  by  restoring  the  ancient  and  legal  and  free  gcn- 
vernment  to  three  kingdoms  plunged  in  the  most  destruc- 
tive anarchy,  may  safely  be  said  to  be  the  subject  in  these 
islands,  who,  since  the  beginning  of  time,  rendered  the 
most  durable  and  most  essential  services  to  his  native  coun- 
try. The  means  also,  by  which  he  atchieved  his  great- 
undertakings,  were  almost  entirely  unexceptionable.  "  His 
temporary  dissimulation,"  continues  Hume,  "  being  abso- 
lutely necessary,  ctiuld  scarcely  be  blameable.  He  had 
received  no  trust  from  that  mongrel,  pretended,  usurping 
parliament  whom  he  dethroned;  therefore  could  betray 
none :  he  even  refused  to  carry  his  dissimulation  so  far  as 
to  take  the  oath  of  abjuration  against  the  king."  Yet  Hume 
allows  .that  in  his  Letter  to  Sir  Arthur  Hazelrrg  (in  the 
Clarendon  papers)  he  is  to  be  blamed  for  his  false  protes- 
tations of  zeal  for  a  commonwealth. 

This  extraordinary  man  was  an  author :  a  light  in  which 
he  is  by  no.means  generally  known,  and  yet  in  which  he  did 
not  want  merit.  After  his  death,  was  published,  by  au- 
thority, a  treatise  which  he  composed  while  a  prisoner  iri 
the  Tower:  it  is  called,  "Observations  upon  military  and 
political  Affairs,  written  by  the  honourable  George  Duke 
of  Albemarle,"  &c.  London,  1671,  small  folio.  Besides 
a  dedication  to  Charles  II.  signed  John  Heath,  the  editor^ 
it  contains  thirty  chapters  of  martial  rules;  interspersed 
with  political  observations,  and  is  in  reality  a  kind  of  tailt** 
tary  grammar.  We  have,  besides,  "  The  Speech  of  ge- 
neral Monk  in  the  House  of  Commons,  concerning  the 
settling  the  conduct  of  the  Armies  of  Three  Nations/  for 
the  Safety  thereof;"  another  delivered  at  Whitehall,  Feb. 
21,  1659,  to  the  members  of  parliament,  at  their  meeting 


MONK.  241 

4>efQ*e4he  jrd-fldmission  of  their  formerly-secluded  mem* 
hers ;  and  "  Letters  relating  to  the  Restoration,"  London, 
.17 14-15. 1 

MONK  (Hon.  Mary),  daughter  of  Lord  Molesworth, 
#njd  mfe  to  George  Monk,  esq.  was  celebrated  for  her 
fttfcetical  talents.  She  acquired  by  her  own  application  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  Latin,  Italian,  and  Spanish  lan- 
guages ;  and,  from  a  study  of  the  best  authors,  a  decided 
jtaate  for  poetical  composition.  She  appears  to  have  written 
for  her  own  .amusement,  rather  than  with  any  view  to  pub-  t 
lication.  Her  poems  were  not  printed  till  after  her  death, 
when  tbey  .were  published  under  the  title  of  "  Marinda ; 
Poems jand  Translations  upon  several  Occasions,"  London, 
1716,  Svo.  A  dedication  to  Caroline,  princess  of  Wales, 
was  prefixed  to  them  by  lord  Molesworth,  th$  father  of 
Mrs.  Monk,  who  speaks  of  the  poems  as  the  production 
"  of  the  leisure  hours  of  a  young  woman,  who,  in  a  re- 
mote country  retirement,  without  other  assistance  than  that 
of  a  good  library,  and  without  omitting  the  daily  care  due 
to  a  large  family,  not  only  acquired  the  several  languages 
here  made  use  of,  but  the  good  morals  and  principles  con* 
tained  in  those  books,  so  as  to  put  them  in  practice,  as  well 
during  her  life  and  languishing  sickness,  as  at  the  hour  of 
ber  death ;  ;dying  not  only  like  a  Christian,  but  a  Roman 
lady,  and  becoming  at  once  the  grief  and  the  comfort  of 
hex  relations."  She  died  in  1715,  at  Bath.  On  her  death* 
bed  she  wrote  some  very  affecting  verses  to  her  husband, 
which  are  not  printed  in  her  works,  but  may  be  found  in 
vol.  II.  of  the  "  Poems  of  Eminent  Ladies/'  and  in  "  Cib« 

DAr  S  I  "IVPMl 

MONMOUTH  (Geoffroy).    See  JEFFREY. 

MONNIER  (Peter  Charles  le),  an  eminent  French 
astronomer,  and  mathematician,,  was  born  at  Paris,  Nov.  23, 
1715.  His  education  was  chiefly  directed  to  the  sciences, 
to  which  be  manifested  an  efeiiy  attachment ;  and  his  pro* 
gr^ss  was  such  that  at  the  age  of  twenty -one,  he.wa* 
chq&en  as  the  co-operator  of  \Maupertuis,  in  the  measure 
of  a  degree  of  the  meridian  at  the  polar  circle.  At  the 
period  when  the  errors  in  Flatnsteed's  catalogue  of  the  stars 
began  to  be  manifest,  he  undertook  to  determine  anew  the  . 
positions  of  the  zodiacal  stars  as  being  the  most  useful  to 


342  MONN1ER, 

astronomers.  In  1743  he  traced  at  St  Sulpice  a  grand 
meridian  line^  in  order  to  ascertain  certain  solar  motions, 
and  also  the  small  variations  in  the  obliquity  of  the  ecliptic. 
. .'  In  1746,  he  determined,  after  numerous  observations, 
thfe  great  inequalities  of  Saturn,  produced  by  the  action 
;o£  Jupiter;  and  his  work  served  as  a  foundation  for  the 
-paper  of  Euler  on  this  subject,  which*  gained  the  prize  at 
the  academy  of  sciences  in  1743.  Soon  after  this,  Le 
Monnier  published  his  "  Astronomical  Institutions/'  a  work 
-which  was  so  much  the  more  useful,  as  it  was  then  the  only 
.one  in  France, that  contained  the  first  principles  of  astro* 
iiomy.  Having  undertaken  to  determine  the  errors  of  the 
lunar  tables,  he  directed  his  labours  peculiarly  to  that  sa- 
tellite, which  he  observed  with  assiduity  during  the  entire 
period  of  eighteen  years,  at  the  end  of  which  the  same 
errors  should  recommence.  His  principal  works,  besides 
the  foregoing,  are  "  Lunar  Nautical  Astronomy,"  "  Tablesv 
of, the  Sun,"  and  "  Corrections  of  those  of  the  Moon."  He 
took  great  pleasure  in.  astronomical  observations,  and  to 
him  has  been  ascribed  the  great  improvement  that  has  taken 
place  in  France  in  practical  astronomy. 

During  his  long,  career  he  was  considered  among,  big 
friends  as  the  soul  of  astronomy,  and  made  numerous  pro- 
selytes to  this  study  by  bis  advice,  example,  and  insiruc* 
ttons.  It  is  to  him  we  chiefly  owe  the  early  progress  of 
two  celebrated  astronomers,  Lalande  and  Pingr£.  Le  Mon- 
nier  died  in  179:9,  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age.  •  He  had  a 
brother,  Lewis  William,  a  very  able  experimental  pbilo~ 
ftopber,  but  who  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  an  abbe  of 
that  name  who  translated  Terence  and  Persius  into  French,-, 
and  who  was .  the  author  .of  fables,  tales,  and  epistles* 
The  latter  died  in  1796.1 

MONNOYE  (Bernard  de-la),  a  learned  French  poet; 
was  boro  in  Dijon,  the  capital  of  Burgundy,  June  1 5, 164-1.- 
He  was  a  map  of  parts  and  learning,  had  a  decided  taste' 
for  poetry;  and,  in  J  671,  had  a  fair,  opportunity  of  dis- 
playing his  talents.  ;  The  subject  of  the  prize  of  poetry, 
founded  by  the  members  of  the  French  academy  at  this 
time,  was,  "  The  Suppressing  of  Duelling  by  Lewis  XIV." 
At  this  was  the  first  contest  of  the  kind,  the  candidate* 
were  numerous  and  eager;  but  la  Monnoye  succeeded* 
and  had  the  honour  of  being  the  first  who  won  the  prise 
founded  by  the  French  academy ;  by  which  he  gained  a 

i  Hist,  de  VAstronomie  depuii  1781  juiqu'a  18U,  par;  M.  Voiron, 


M.ONNOYE.  243 

reputation  that  increased  ever  after.  In  1 673,  he  was  a 
candidate  for  the  new  prize,  the  subject  of  which  was, 
"The  protection  with  which  his  Gallic  majesty  honoured 
the  French  academy ;"  but  his  poem  came  too  late.  He 
won  the  prize  in  1675,  on  "  The  glory  of  arms  an<J  learn- 
ing under  Lewis  XIV;"  and  that  also  of  1677,  on  "  The 
Education  of  the  Dauphin."  On  this  occasion,  the  highest 
compliment  was  made  him  by  the  abt)6  Regnier;  who  said, 
that  "  it  would  be  proper  for  the  French  academy  to  elect 
Mr-  de  la  Monnoye  upon  the  first  vacancy,  because,  as  he 
would  thereby  be  disqualified  from  writing  any  more,  such 
as  should  then  be  candidates  would  be  encouraged  to 
write.9'  It  was  indeed  said,  that  he  discontinued  to  write 
for  these  prizes  at  the  solicitation  of  the  academy  ;  a  cir- 
cumstance which,  if  true,  reflects  higher  honour  on  him 
than  a  thousand  prizes.  He  wrote  many  other  successful 
pieces,  and  was  no  less  applauded  in  Latin  poetry  than  in 
the  French.  Menage  and  Bayle  have  both  bestowed  the 
highest  encomiums  on  bis  Latin  poetry.  His  Greek  and 
Italian  poems  are  likewise  much  commended  by  the  French 
critics. 

But  poetry  was  not  la  Monnoye's  only  province:  to  .a 
perfect  skill  jn  poetry,  he  joined  a  very  accurate  and  ex- 
tensive knowledge  of  the  languages.  He  was  also  an  acute 
(critic :  and  no  man  applied  himself  with  greater  assiduity 
to  tbe  study  of  history,  ancient  and  modern.  He  was  per- 
fectly acquainted  with  all  tbe  scarce  books,  that  had  any- 
thing curious  in  them,  and  was  well  versed  in  literary  his- 
tory. He  wrote  "Remarks  on  the  Menagiana :"  in  the 
Jast  edition  of  which,  printed  in  1 7 1 5,  in  4  vols*  1 2mo,  ire 
included  several  pieces  of  his  poetry,  and  a  curious  dis- 
sertation on  the  famous  book  "  De  tribus  Impostoribus." 
His  "  Dissertation  on  Pomponius  Laetus,"  at  least  an 
.extract  of  it,  is  inserted  in  the  new  edition  of  Baillet's 
u  Jugemens  des  S^ayans/'  published  in  4722,  with  a  great 
jmmber  of  remarks  and  corrections  by  la  Monnoye.  lie 
also  embellished  the  "  Anti»Baillet  of  Menage,"  with  cor* 
xections  and  notes.  He  was  a  great  benefactor  to  litera- 
ture, by  his  own  productions,  and  the  assistance  which 
he  communicatd  very  freely,  upon  all  occasions,  to  other 
futthors.  Among  others,  he  favoured  Bayle  with  a  great 
number  of  curious  particulars  for  his  "Dictionary/'  which 
was  liberally  acknowledged.  He  died  at  Paris,  Oct.  1 5, 
1728,  in  his  88th  year. 

R  2 


244  MONNOYE, 

Mr.  de  Sallingre  published  at  the  Hague  €€  A  Collection 
of  Poems  by  hi  Monnoye,"  with  bis  eulogium,  to  which  we 
owe  many  of  the  particulars  given  above.     He  also  left 
behind  him   UA  Collection  of  Letters,"  mostly  critical; 
several  curious  "  Dissertations  ;*'  three  'hundred  "  Select 
Epigrams  from  Martial,  and  other  £oets,  ancient  and  mo- 
dern, in  Frenph  verse ;"  and  several  other  works  in  prose 
and  verse,  in  French,  Latin,  and  Greek,  ready  for  the  press. 
A  collection  of  his  works  in  3  vols.  8vo,  was  published   m 
1769.     He  deserved  that  the  French  academy  should  admit 
into  their  list  a  person  on  whom  they  had  so  often  be- 
stowed their  laurels,  and  he  might,  doubtless,  have  ob- 
tained that  honour  sooner,  had  he  sued  for  it:  but,  as  lie 
declined  such  solicitation,  he  was  not  elected  till  1713,  ttot 
the  death  of  abb£  Regner  des  Marias.     He  married  CJatfde 
tlenriot,  whom  he  survived,  after  living  many  years  witk 
her  in  the  strictest  amity ;  as  appears  from  a  copy  of  iAs 
verses,  and  also  from  the  epitaph  he  wrote  for  himself  anti 
his  wife.     He  had  accumulated  a  very  curious  and  valua- 
ble library,  but  was  obliged,  by  the  failure  of  the  Missisipfri. 
scheme,    to  propose  selling  it,  in   order  to  support  bis 
family.     This  the  duke   de   Villeroi  hearing,  settled  an 
annual  pension  of  6000  livres  upon  him ;  for  which  he  Ex- 
pressed his  gratitude,  in  a  poem  addressed  to  that  noble- 
man.    It  is  said,  however,  that  the  duke  did  it  only  tipda 
condition,  that  himself  should  inherit  the  library  after  tfete 
death  of  la  Monnoye,  who  accepted  the'  terms.1 
MONNOYER.     See  BAPTIST,  John. 
MONRO  (Alexander,  M.  D.),  an  eminent  anatomist, 
atfd  'the  father  of  the  medical  school  of;  Edinburgh,  was 
descended  both  by  bis  paternal  -ajid  maternal  parents  from 
distinguished  fannies  in  the  north  of  Scotland,     He  was 
born  in  l  London,  in   Septfetttber  1697,  where  his  father, 
then  a  sur£eon;iin  tBearmy  of  king' William  in  Flanders, 
resided  updn -leave  of  Absence  in  the^wihter.     0n  quitting 
the  artoy,  Mr.n  Monro  ^fettled  in"  Edinburgh  ;  and  perceiv- 
ing early  iridica'tiensubf  talent' in  -Alefcarider,  he  gave  him 
the  best  instruction  tfhibh 'Edinburgh  then  affbrded,  and 
iafterwaras  sfehthi'm  to 'London, 'where !:be  dttentffed  the 
anaforiiical  courses  of  Oftrese1d4o,  and1  while  here, *■  laid  the 
^foundation  of  hislmost4mportant  work  6n  the'bones.     He 
then'  pursued  bis  studies  «at  Patis  and  Leyden,  *wh«te  4rts 


MQNR'ft  *45 

industry  tod  promising  talents  recommended  him  to  the 
particular  notice  of  Boerhaave.  On  his  return  to  Edin- 
burgh, in  the  autumn  of  1719*  he  was  appointed  professor 
and  demonstrator  of.  anatomy  to  the  company  of  surgeons, 
the  joint  demonstrators  having  spontaneously  resigned  in 
his;  favour,  and  soon  after  began  alsptp  give  public  lectures 
on  anatomy,  aided  by  the  preparations  which  he  had  made 
when  abroad ;  and  at  the  same  time  Dr.  Alston,  then  a 
young  man,  united  with  him  in.  the  plaji,  and  began  a 
course  of  lectures  on,  the  matem&  medica  and  bdtany. 
These  courses  may  be  regarded  as  the  opening  of  that  me- 
dical school,  which  has  since  extended  its  fame,  not  only 
throughout  Europe,  but  over  the  new  world*  Mr.  Monro 
suggested  this  plan ;  and*  by  the  following  circumstance, 
probably,  contributed  to  lead  bis  son  into  a  mode  of  lec- 
turing, which,  subsequently  carried  him  to  excellence. 
Without  the*  young  teacher's  knowledge,  he  invited  the 
president  and  fpUaw*  o£  the  College,  oi  Physicians,  and 
%he  whole  company  of  surgeons,  to  honpur  the  first  day's 
lecture  with  their  presence.  This  unexpected  company 
threw  the  doctor  into  avbch  confusion,  that  he  forgot  the 
words  of  the  dfaceiirse,  which  he  had  written  and  coco- 
Bfthted  to  memory.  Having  left  his  papers  at  home,  he 
was  at  a  loss  for  a  Hjbtle  time  what  to  do :  but,  with  much 
presence  of  mind,  he  immediately  began  to  shew  some  of 
die  anatomical  preparations,  in  order  to  gain  time  for  re-* 
collection ;  and  ve»y  soon  resolved  not  to  attempt  to  re* 
peat  the  cbaeontse  which  he  had  prepaid,  hut  to  express 
biwaelf  in  such  language  as  should  occur  to  him  from  the 
aubject,  wfefcl*  he  wa»  cooBdent  that  he  understood.  The 
experiment  succeeded:  he  delivered'  l?im*elf  well>  and 
gained  great  applause  as  a  good  and  re?dy  speaker.  Thus 
discovering  hia  own  strength,  he  resolved  henceforth  never 
fee.  recite  any  written  discourse  in  teaching,  and  acquired  a 
free  and  elegant  style  of  delivering  lectures. 

In  the  same  year,  1720,  a  regular  series  of  medical  in- 
struction was  instituted  at  Edinburgh,  through  the  interest 
of  Dr.  Monro's  father:  these  two  lectureships  were  put 
upon  the  university  establishment,  to  which  were  span 
after  added  those  of  Drs.  Sinclair,  Rutherford,  Innes,  and 
Plummer.  This  system  of  medical  education  was.,  how- 
ever, incomplete,  without  affording  some  opportunity  to 
the  students  of  witnessing  the  progress  and  treatment  of 
diseases,  as  well  as  of  hearing  lectures.    A  proposal  wat* 


246  MONRO. 

therefore,  made  to  erect  and  endow  an  hospital  by  sub- 
scription ;  and  Dr.  Monro  published  a  pamphlet,  explain- 
ing the  advantages  of  such  an  institution.  The  royal  in- 
firmary was  -  speedily  raised,  endowed,  and  established  by 
charter ;  and  the  institution  of  clinical  lectures,  which  were 
commenced  by  Dr.  Monro  on  the  surgical  cases,  and  after- 
wards by  Dr.  Rutherford,  in  1748,  on  the  medical  cases, 
Completed  that  admirable  system  of  instruction,  upon  which 
the  reputation  and  usefulness  of -the  medical  school  of 
Edinburgh  have  been  subsequently  founded. 

Dr.  Monro,  who  was  indefatigable  in  the  labours  of  his 
office,  soon  made  himself  known  to  the  professional  world 
by  a  variety  of  ingenious  and  valuable  publications.  His 
first -and  principal  publication  was  bis  "Osteology,  or 
Treatise  on  the  Anatomy  of  the  Bones,"  which  appeared 
in  1726,  and  passed  through  eight  editions  during  his  life, 
and  was  translated  into  most  of  the  languages  of  Europe. 
To  the  later  editions  of  this  work  he  subjoined  a  concise 
neurology,  or  description  of  the  nerves,  and  a  very  accurate 
account  of  the  lacteal  system  and  thoracic  duct. 

Dr.  Monro  was  also  the  father  and  active  supporter  of  a 
society,  which  was  established  by  the  professors  and  other 
practitioners  of  the  town,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  and 
publishing  papers  on '  professional  subjects,  and  to  which 
the  public  is  indebted  for  six  volumes  of  "  Medicai  Essays 
and  Observations  by  a  Society  at  Edinburgh,9'  the  first  of 
which  appeared  in  1752.  Dr.  Monro  was  the  secretary  of 
this  society  ;  and  after  the  publication  of  the  first  volume, 
when  the  members  of  the  society  became  remiss  in  their 
attendance,  the  whole  labour  of  collection  and  publication 
was  carried  on  by  himself;  "  insomuch  that  after  this," 
says  his  biographer,  *'  scarce  any  other  member  ever  saw 
a  paper  of  the  five  last  volumes,  except  those  they  were 
the  authors  of,  till  printed  copies  were  sent  them  by  the 
bookseller."  Of  this  collection,  many  of  the  most  valuable 
papers  were  written  by  Dr.  Monro,  on  anatomical,  phy- 
siological, and  practical  subjects:  the  most  elaborate  of 
these  is  an  "Essay  on  the  Nutrition  of  the  Foetus,"  in 
three  dissertations.  Haller,  speaking  of  these  volumes  as 
highly  valuable  to  the  profession,  adds,  a  Monrous  ibi 
eminet." 

After  the  conclusion  of  this  publication,  the  society  was 
revived,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  celebrated  mathematical 
professor,  Colin  Maclaurin,  aud  was  extended  to  the  ad- 


MONRO.  347 

mission  of  literary  and  philosophical  topics.     Dr.  Monro 
again  took  an  active  part  in  its  proceedings,  as  one  of  its., 
vice-presidents,  especially  after  the  death  of  Maclaurin, 
when  two  volumes  of  its  memoirs,  entitled  "  Essays  Phy- 
sical and  Literary,"  were  published,  and  some  materials  four . 
a  third  collected,  to  which  Dr.  Monro  contributed  several 
useful,  papers.     The  third  was  not  published  during  his 
life.*     His  last  publication  was  an  "  Account  of  the  Success . 
of  Inoculation  in  Scotland,"  written  originally  as  an  answer; 
to  some  inquiries  addressed  to  him  from  the  committee  of  * 
the  faculty  of  physicians  at  Paris,  appointed  to  investigate, 
the  merits  of  the  practice.     It  was  afterwards  published. at 
the  request,  of  some  of  his  friends,  and  contributed  to  ex- 
tend the  practice  in .  Scotland.     Besides  the  works  which  : 
he  published,  he  left  several   MSS.  written  at  different 
times,  of  which  the  following  are  the  principal:  viz..  A*' 
History  of  Anatomical  Writers;  An  Encheiresis  Anaio- 
mica ;  Heads  of  many  of  his  Lectures ;  A  •  Treatise  on 
Comparative  Anatomy ;  A  Treatise  on  Wouncjs  and  Tu- 
mours ;  and,  An  Oration  de  Cuticula.     This  last,  as  well . 
as  the  short  tract  on  comparative  anatomy,  has  been  printed 
in  aii'  edition  of  his  whole  works,  in  one  volume  quarto, : 
published  by  his  son,  Dr.  Alexander  Monro,  at  Edinburgh, 
in  1781.     This  tract  bad  been  published  surreptitiously  iq 
1744,,. from  notes. taken  at  his  lectures;  but  is  here  given 
in  -a  more  correct  form. 

In  1759,  Dr.  Monro  resigned  bis  anatomical  chair,  which 
he  had  so  long  occupied  with  the  highest  reputation,  to 
his  son,  just  mentioned ;  but  he  still  continued  to  lecture  * 
as  one  of  the  clinical  professors,  on  the  cases  in  the  in- 
firmary. His  life  was  also  a  scene  of  continued  activity  in 
other  affairs,  as  long  as.  his  health  permitted.  For  be  was 
not  only  a  member,  but  a  most  assiduous  attendant,  of 
many,  societies  and  institutions  for  promoting  literature, 
arts,  sciences,  and  manufactures  in  Scotland ;  he  was  also 
a  director  of  the  bank  of  Scotland,  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
a  commissioner  of  high  roads,  &c.  and  was  punctual  in 
the  discharge  of  all  his  duties.  His  character  in  private 
life  was  as  amiable  and  exemplary  as  it  was  useful  in  pub- 
lic. •  To  the  literary  honours,  which  he  attained  at  home, 
were  added  those  of  a  fellow  of  the  royal  society  of  Lou-, 
don,  and  an  honorary  member  of.  the  royal  academy  of 
surgery,  at  Paris. 


2**  MO  N  r  a 

Dr.  Monro  was  a  man  of  middle  stature,  muscular,  at*4p 
possessed  of  great  strength  and  activity;  but  was  subject 
for  many  years  to  a  spitting  of  blood  on  catching  tbe  least 
cold,  and  through  his  life  to  frequent  inflammatory  fevers. 
After  an  attack  of  the  influenza,  in  1762,  he  was  afflicted* 
with  symptoms  of  a  disease  of  a  painful  and  tedious  nature, 
whichZcontinued  ever  after,  until  it  terminated  bis  exist- 
ence. This  was  a  fungous  ulcer  of  the  bladder  and  rectum, 
the  distress  of  which  he  bore  with,  great  fortitude  and  re- 
signation, and  died' with  perfect  calmness,  on  the  I Oth  of 
July,  1767,  at  the  age  of  seventy. 

Two  of  his  sons  became  distinguished  physicians :  Dr. 
Alexander,  his  successor,  and  who  has  filled  his  chair 
since  his  death,  is  well  known  throughout  Europe  by  his 
valuable  publications.  It  was  not  until  1801-  that  t#  re- 
lieve himself  from  tbe  fatigues  of  the  professorship,  he 
associated  with  himself,  his  son,  the  third  Alexander  Monro, 
who  bids  fair  to  perpetuate  the  literary  honours  of  his 
family.  Dr.  Donald  Monro,  the  other  son  of  the  fh*t 
Alexander,  settled  as  a  physician  in  London,  became  a 
fellow  of  the  royal  college  of  physicians,  and  senior  phy* 
sician  to  the  army.  He  wrote,  •  besides  several  smaller  me- 
dical treatises,  "  Observations  on  the  Means  of  preserving 
the  Health  of  Soldiers,"  1780,  2  vols*  8vo;  a  treatise  on 
niedtcal  and  pharmaceutical  chemistry,  and  the  Materia* 
Medica,  1788,  4  vols.  8vo;  and  the  life  of  his  father,  pre- 
fitted  to  the  edition  of  his  works-  published  Ay  his  son> 
Alexander,  1781,  4to.  He  died  in  July  1802,  aged  seventy 
one.  It  is  from  this  life  of  thfe  first  Dr.  Monro,  that  tbe 
preceding  account  is  taken.1 

MONRO  (John),  an  eminent  physician,  was  descended! 
from  the  ancient  fafrftily  of  that  name,  in  Hie  totality  e#' 
Ross,  in  North  Britain ;  and  was  born  at  Greenwich,  in  tlfe 
county  of  Kent,  on  the  16th  of  November,  1715,  O.  S. 
His  grandfather^  Dr.  Alexander  Monro',  was  principal  of 
tbe  university  of  Edinburgh,  and,  just  before  tbe  rtreota** 
tton  iri  1688^  had  been  nominated  by  king  James  ffatr  lid,- 
to  fill  the  vacant  see  of  the  Orkneys;  but  the  alteration 
which  took  plate  in  the  chtirch-establisfctaerit  o*f  Scotland 
at  that  period,'  prevented  his'obtaining  possession  of  this 
bishopric;  and  the  friendship  which  prevailed  betweeti 
him  tod  the  celebrated  lord  Dundee,  the  dvdwed  opponent 

\  J.ife  ap  above,— Reel's  Cyclopedia* 


MONRO.  24& 

of  Jang  William,  added  to  hia  being,  thought  aver$e  to  the 
new  order  of  things,  exposed  him  to  much  persecution, 
from  the  supporters  of  the  revolution*  and  occasioned- him> 
to  satire  from  Edinburgh  to  London,,  whitiher  he  brought 
with,  him  his  only  son,  then  a  child.  James  Monro,  the 
son*  of  Dr.  Alexander,  after  taking  his  academical  degrees* 
in  the  university  of  Oxford,  practised  with'  much  success 
as<  a  physician  in  London-;  apd,  dedicating  bis;  studies 
principally  to  the  investigation  of  that  branch  of  medicine 
which  professes  to  relieve  the  miseries  arising  from  insanity,* 
war  elected  physician  to  the  hospital  of  Bridewell  and- 
Betblem. 

Dr.  John  Monro  was  the .  eldest  son  of  Dr.  James,  an  A 
was  educated  at  Merchant-Taylors  school  in  London,  whenee 
he  was  removed  in  1723  to  St.  John's  college,  Oxford,  of 
which  he  became  a  fellow.  In  1743,  by  the  favour  of  sir 
Robert  Walpole,  with  whom  his  father  lived  on  terms  of 
friendship,  be  was  elected  to  one  of  the  travelling  fellow- 
ships founded  by  Dr.  Radcliffe,  and  soon  after  went  abroad. 
He  studied  physic,  first  at  Edinburgh,  and  afterwards  at 
Leyden,  under  the  celebrated  Boerhaave ;  after  which  he- 
visited  various  parts  of  Europe.  He  resided  some  time  at 
Paris,  in  1745,  whence  he  returned  to  Holland ;  and,  after 
a  short  stay  in  that  country,  he  passed  through  part  of 
Germany  into  England*  carefully  observing  whatever  merit- 
ed the  notice  of  a  mam  of  learning  and  taste.  After  quit- 
ting Italy  he  paid  a  second  visit  to  France,  and,  having 
continued. some  time  in  that  country,  returned  to  England 
in  1751. 

Dtfritfg  fcfif  absence  on  the*  continent,  the  university  of 
Oxford  «onferred  open  ham  tbe  degree  of  doctor  of  physic, 
by  diploma*;  and  bis  father's  health  beginning  to  decline 
soon  after  bis  arrival  in  England,  be  was,  in  July  1751, 
elected  joint  physician  with  hint  to  Bridewell  and  Betblem 
hospitals,  and  on  his  death,  which  happened  in  the  latter 
end  of  1750,  he  became  sole  physician  thereof. 

Fioto  this  time  he  confined  bis  practice  entirely  to  cases 
of  insanity,  in  which  branch  of  the  medical  art  he  attained 
to  a  higher  degree  of  eminence  than  was  possessed  by  any 
of  his  predecessors  or  contemporaries.  In  1753,  Dr,  Bat- 
tie  having  published  "  A  Treatise  on  Madness,"  wherein 
he  spoke,  as  Dr.  Monro  conceived,  disrespectfully  of  the 
former  physicians  of  Betblem  hospital,  he  thought  it  in- 
cumbent upon  him  to  take  some  notice  of  the  publication  $ 


250  M  O  N  R  O: 

and,  in  the  same  year,  published  a  smalL  pamphlet,  en- 
titled, "  Remarks  on  Dr.  Battle's  Treatise  on  Madness.'* 
His  ideas  of  this  dreadful  malady,  as  well  as  the  motives 
which  induced  him  to  compose  these  remarks,  are  very* 
concisely  and  elegantly   expressed   in    the   advertisement 
which  is  prefixed  to  the  work.     "  Madness  is  a  distemper 
of  such  a  nature,  that  very  little  of  real  use  can  be  said 
concerning  it ;  the  immediate  causes  will  for  ever  disap- 
point our  search,  and  the  cure  of  that  disorder  depends  on 
management  as  much  as  medicine.     My  own  inclination 
would!  never  have  led  me  to  appear  in  print;  but  it  was 
thought  necessary  for  me,  in  my  situation,  to  say  some- 
thing in  answer  to  the  undeserved  censures*  which   Dn 
Battie  has  thrown  upon  my  predecessors." 

Dr.  Monro  defines  madness  to  be  a  ".  vitiated  judgment  ;*' 
though  he  declares,  at  the  same  time,  he  "cannot  take 
upon  him  to  say,  that  even  this  definition  is  absolute  and 
perfect.9'     His  little  work  contains  the  most  judicious  and' 
accurate  remarks  on  this  unhappy  disorder ;  and  the  cha- 
racter which,  in  the  course  of  it,  he  draws  of  his  father, 
is  so  spirited,  and  so  full  of  the  warmth  of  filial  affection, 
as  to  merit  being  selected.  .  "  To  say  be  understood  this, 
distemper  beyond  any  of  bis  contemporaries  is  very  little 
praise;  the  person  who  is  most  conversant  in  such  cases, 
provided  he  has  but  common  sense  enough  to  avoid  meta- 
physical subtilties,  will  be  enabled,  by  bis  extensive  know- . 
ledge  and  experience,  to  excel  all  those  who  have  not  the. 
same  opportunities  of  receiving  information.     He  was  a 
man  of  admirable  discernment,  and  treated  this  disease 
with  an  address  that  will  not  soon  be  equalled.;  he  knew 
very  well,  that  the  management  requisite  for  it  was  never 
to  be  learned  but  from  observation;  he  was  honest  and: 
sincere,  and  though  no  man  was  more  communicative; upon 
points  of  real  use,  he  never  thought  of  reading  lectures  on 
a  subject  that  can  be  understood  no  otherwise  than  by  per- 
sonal observation  :  physic  he  honoured  as  a  prqfesswn,  but,, 
he  despised  it  as  a  trade;  however  partial  I  may  be  to  bis 
memory^  his  friends  acknowledge  this  to  be  true,  and  bis 
enemies  will  not  venture  to  deny  it." 

In  1753,  Dr.  Monro  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Smith,  se- 
cond daughter  of  Mr.  Thomas  Smith}  merchant,  of  London, 
by  whom  he  had  six  children.  .  The  eldest  of  these,  John, 
was  designed  for  the  profession  of  physic,  and  had  made  a 
considerable  progress  in  his  studies;  but  died,  after  a  short 


MONRO.  2*1 

illness,  at  St  John's  college,  Oxford,  in  1779,  in  the  25th 
year  of  bis  age.  The  loss  of  bis  eldest  son  was  severely 
fek  by  Dr.  Monro,  to  whom  be  was  endeared  by  his  many 
amiable  qualities  and  promising  abilities ;  and  this  loss  was 
aggravated  by. that  of  his  only  daughter,  Charlotte,  who 
was  carried  off  in  the  22d  year  of  her  age,  by  a  rapid  con- 
sumption, within  four  years  afterwards.  She  was  a  young 
lady,  who,  to  a  native  elegance  of  manners,  added  excel- 
lent sense,  and  an  uncommon  sweetness  of  disposition. 
It  is  not  wonderful,  therefore,  that  her  loss  should  prove  a 
severe  blow  to  a  father  who  loved  her  with  the  most  lively 
affection.  He  was  now  in  his  68th  year,  and  had  hitherto 
enjoyed  an  uncommon  share  of  good  health ;  but  the  con* 
stant  anxiety  he  was  under  during  his  daughter's  illtiess, 
preyed  upon  his  mind,  and  brought  on  a  paralytic  stroke 
in  January  1783.  The  strength  of  his  constitution,  bow- 
ever,  enabled  him  to  overcome  the  first  effects  of  this  dis- 
order, and  to  resume  the  exercise  of  his  profession ;  but 
his  vigour,  both  of  mind  and  body,  began  from  this  time 
to  decline.  In  1787,  his  youngest  son,  Dr.  Thomas  Monro 
(who,  on  the  death  of  his  eldest  brother,  had  applied  him- 
self to  the  study  of  physic,)  was  appointed  his  assistant  at 
Bethlem  hospital;  and  he .  thenceforward  gradually  with- 
drew himself  from  business,  till  the  beginning  of  1791, 
when  he  retired  altogether  to  the  village  of  Hadley,  near 
Barnet ;  and  in  this  retirement  he  continued  till  his 
death,  which  happened,  after  a  few  days  illness,  on  the 
27th  of  December,  in  the  same  year,  and  in  the  77th  year 
of  his  age. 

Dr.  Monro  was  tall  and  handsome  in  his  person,  and  of 
a  robust  constitution  of  body.  Though  naturally  of  a  grave 
cast  of  mind,  no  man  enjoyed  the  pleasures  of  society 
with  a  greater  relish.  :  To  great  warmth  of  temper  he  added 
a  nice  sense  of  honour ;  and,  though  avowedly  at  the  head 
of  that  branch  of  his  profession  to  which  he  confined  his 
practice,  yet  his  behaviour  was  gentle  and  modest,  and 
Lis  manners  refined  and  elegant  in  an  eminent  degree. 
He  possessed  an  excellent  understanding,  and  great  hu- 
manity of  disposition  ;  but  the  leading  features  of  his  cha- 
racter were  disinterestedness  and  generosity;  as  he  has 
s.aid  of  his  father  i  so  may  it,  with  equal  truth,  be  said  of 
himself— "  physic  he  honoured  as  a  profession^  but  he 
despised  it  as  a  trade"  Never  did  he  aggravate  the  misery 
of  those  who  were  in  want,  by  accepting  what  could  ill  be 


*52  MONRO. 

spared ;  whilst  he  frequently  contributed  as,  much  by  his 
bounty  as  his  professional  skill  to  alleviate,  the  distress  be 
was  forced  to  witness.  It  was  the  remark  of  a  man  of  acute 
phservation,  who  knew  him  intimately,  "  that. he  had  met 
with  many  persons  who  affected  to  bold  money  in  contempt, 
but- Dr.  Monro  was  the  only  man  he  had  found  wbo  really 
did  despise  it." 

He  possessed  a  very  elegant  taste  for  the  fine  arts  in  ge~ 
peral,  and  his  collection,  both  of  books  and  prints,  was 
very  extensive.  He  was  uncommonly  well  versed  in  the 
early  history  of  engraving;  and  the  specimens  he  had  col- 
lected of  the  works  of  the  first  engravers  were  very  select 
and- curious.  -  From  these,  as  well  as  from  the  communi- 
cations of  Dr.  Monro,  the  late  ingenious  Mr.  Strutt  derived 
great  assistance  in  the  composition  of  bis  history  of  en-* 
gravers.  Though  he  never  appeared  as  an  autdwn,  except 
it*  the  single  instance  mentioned  above,  he  possessed  a 
mtod  stored:  with,  the  beauties  of  ancient  aa.wetl  as.  modern 
ktoflatufe.  Horace  and  Shak&peaoe  were  \l\%  favourite 
authors ;  and  bis  notes  and  remarks  on.  the  latter  .were  con* 
siderable :  these;  he  communicated  to  Mr.  Steevens,,  pre* 
WQ143  to  his  publication*  of  the  works,  of  our  imMortal  poet; 
aawieus  to>  contribute  his  mite  to  the  elucidation  of  those 
passages  which  time  has  rendered  obscure.  His  fondness 
far  reading,  was  great*  and  proved,  a  considerable  resource 
to,  him.  in  the  evening  of  life;  and  fortunately  he  was  able 
to  ergoy  his  books  till  within  a  very  few  days  of  his,  death,. 

Dr.  Mpauo  was  buried  in  the  church-yard  of  Hadley ; 
and,  of  his  children,  three  only  survived  him  : '  James,  who 
commanded  the  ship  Houghton,  in  the  service  of  the  Bast 
Ipdia  cosnpaay ;  Chatrles ;  and  Thomas,  who  succeeded 
him,,  and  still  is  physician  to  Bethlem  and  Bridewell  bos* 
piAals,  Besides,  these,  and  his  son  and  daughter,  whose 
deaths  are  .mentioned  above,  he  had.  a  younger  soa,  Gul- 
ling^  who*  died  an  infant.1 

MONSON  (Si a  William),,  a  brave  English  admiral, 
was  the  third  son  of  sir  John  Monson,  of  South  Carlton,  in 
Lincolnshire,  and  bora  in  1569.  For  about  two  years  be 
studied  at  Baliol  college,  Oxford  :  but,  being  of  an  active 
and  martial  disposition,  be  soon  grew  weary  of  a  contem- 
plative life,  and  applied  himself  to  the  sea-service,  in  which 

i  Written  by  one  of  the  editors  of  the  last  edition  of  this  Dictionary  from 
private  and  authentic  information. 


M  DNS  ON.  »&» 

he  became  very  expert.    In  the  beginning  of  queen  fili* 
zabeth?s  war  with  Spain,  he  entered  on  board  of  ship  with- 
out (he  knowledge  of  his  parents;  but  in  1587  we  find  he 
went  out  commander  of  a  vessel,  and  in  1588,  he  served 
in.  one  of  the  queen's  ships,  but  had  not  the  command  jof 
it.     In  1589,  he  was  vice-admiral  to  the  earl  of  Ctunbes-? 
land,  in  his  expedition  to  the  Azores  islands,  ami  at  the 
taking  of  Fayal ;  but,  in  their  return,  suffered  such  iurrtU 
ships,  and  contracted  such  a  violent  illness  from  them,  a$ 
kept  him  at  home  the  whole  year  1590.     "  The  extremity 
we  endured,9'  says  be,  "  was  more  terrible  than  befel  ray 
ship  during  the  eighteen  years'  war :  for,  laying  aside  the 
continual  expectation  of  death  by  shipwreck,  and  the  daily 
mortality  of  our  men,  I  will  speak  of  our  famine,  that  ex- 
ceeded all  men  and  ships  I  have  known  in  the  course  of  my 
life.     For  sixteen  days  together  we  never  tasted  a  drop  of 
drink,  either  beer,' wine,  or  water;    and  though  we  bad 
plenty  of  beef  and  pork  of  a  year's  salting,  yet  did  we  for* 
bear  eating  of  it  for  making  us  the  drier.    Marly  drank  salt 
water,  and  those  that  did,  died  suddenly,  and  the  last  words 
they  usually  spake,  was,  '  drink,  drink,  drink !'  And  I  dare 
boldly  say,  that,  of  five  hundred  men  that  were  in  that 
ship  seven  years  before,  at  this  day  there  is  not  a  man 
alive  but  myself  and  one  more." 

In  1591,  'he  served  a  second  time  under  five  earl  of 
Cumberland ;  and  the  commission  was,  as  all  the  former 
were,  to  act  against  the  "Spaniards.  They  took  several  of 
their  *  hips ;  and  captain  Monson,  being  sent  to  convoy1  one 
of  them  to  England,  was  surrounded  and  taken  by  six 
Spanish  gallies,  after  a  long  arid  bloody  fight.  On  this 
occasion  they  detained  him  as  an  hostage  for  the  perform* 
ance  of  certain  covenants,  and  carried  him  to  Portugal, 
where  he  was  kept  prisoner  two  years  at  Cascais  and  Lis* 
bon.  Not  discouraged  by  this  ill-luck,  he  entered  a  third 
titfte'into  the  earl's  service,  in  1593  ;  and  he  behaved  him*- 
acftfuntbis,  <as  in  all  other  expeditions,  dike  a  brave  and 
ebie  seaman.  In  IS 94,  he  was  created  master  of  arts  at 
Oxford  ;  in  1595,  -he  was  married;  in  1596,  he  served  in 
the  expedition .  to  Cadiz,  under  Walter  Devereu^,  earl  of 
Essex,  ta  whttai  he  did  great  service  by  his  wise  and  mo- 
derate counsel,  and  was :  deservedly  knighted.  He  was 
employed  irt  seveml  other  expeditions,  and  was  highly  ho- 
noured and^esteeaaed  during  Elizabeth's  reign.  Military 
smiiwsst^  aotpkiog^  James's  favourites ;  therefore,  after  the 


S54  ■      MONSON. 

death  of  the  queen,  he  never  received  either  recompence 
or  preferment,  more  than  bis  ordinary  entertainment  or 
pay,  according  to  the  services  he  was  employed  in.  How- 
ever, in  1604,  he  was  appointed  admiral  of  the  Narrow 
Seas,  in  which  station  he  continued  till  1616  ;  during  which 
time  be  supported  the  honour  of  the  English  flag,  against 
the  insolence  of  the  infant  commonwealth  of  Holland,  of 
which  he  frequently  complains  in  his  "  Naval  Tracts  ;"  and 
protected  our  trade  against  the  encroachments  of  France. 

Notwithstanding  bis  long  and  faithful  services,  he  had 
the  misfortune  to  fall  into  disgrace  ;  and,  through  the  re-* 
sentment  of  some  powerful  courtiers,  was  imprisoned  in 
the  Tower  in  1616:  but,  after  having  been  examined  by 
the  chief  justice  Coke  and  secretary  Winwood*  he  was  dis- 
charged. He  wrote  a  vindication  of  his  conduct,  entitled 
"  Concerning  the  insolences  of  the  Dutch,  and  a  Justifica- 
tion of  sir  William  Mori  son ;"  and  directed  it  to  the  lord 
chancellor  Ellesmere,  and  sir  Francis  Bacon,  attorney- 
general  and  counsellor.  His  zeal  against  the  Dutch,  and 
his  promoting  an  inquiry  into  the  state  of  the  navy,  con* 
trary  to  the  inclination  of  the  earl  of  Nottingham,  then  lord 
high  admiral,  seems  to  have  been  the  occasion  of  his  trou-* 
bles*  He  had  also  the  misfortune  to  bring  upon  himself  a 
general  and  popular  odium,  in  retaking  lady  Arabella 
Steuart,  after  her  escape  out  of  England  in  June  1611, 
though  it  was  acting  agreeably  to  his  orders  and  duty.  This 
lady  was  confined  to  the  Tower  for  her  marriage  with  Wil- 
liam Seymour,  esq.  as  was  pretended ;  but  the  true  cause 
of  her  confinement  was,  her  being  too  high  allied,  and 
having  a  title  or  claim  to  the  crown  of  England.  Sir  Wil- 
liam, however,  soon  recovered  his  credit  at  court :  for,  in 
1617,  he  was  called  before  the  privy  council,  to  give  his 
opinion,  how  the  pirates  of  Algiers  might  be  suppressed; 
and  the  town  attacked.  He  shewed  the  impossibility  of 
taking  Algiers,  and.  was  against  the  expedition ;  notwith? 
standing  which,  it  was  rashly  undertaken  by  Villiers  duke 
of  Buckingham.  He  was  also  against  two  other  under* 
takings,  as  ill-managed,  in  1625  and  1628,  namely,  the  ex- 
peditions to  Cadiz  and  the  isle  of  Rhee.  He  was  not  em* 
ployed  in  these  actions,  because  he  objected  to  the  minis- 
ter's measures ;  but,  in  1635,  it  being  found  necessary  to 
equip  a  large  fleet,  in  order  to  break  a  confederacy  that 
was  forming  between  the  French  and  the  Dutch,  be  was 
appointed  vice-admiral  ia  that  armament,  and  performed 


MONSON.  255 

bis  duty  with  great  honour  and  bravery.  After  that  he 
was  employed  no  more,  but  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
day*  in  peace  and  privacy,  at  his  seat  at  Kinnersley  in 
Surrey,  where  he  digested  and  finished  his  "  Naval  Tracts," 
published  in  Churchill's  "  Collection  of  Voyages."  He 
died  there,  Feb.  1642*3,  in  his  seventy-third  year,  and 
left  a  numerous  posterity,  the  ancestors  of  the  present 
noble  family  of  Monson,  baron  Monson  of  Burton,  in  the 
county  of  Lincoln.1 

MONSTRELET  (Enguerrand  de),  an  eminent  French 
historian,  was  descended  of  a  noble  family,  but  the  name* 
of  his  parents,  and  the  period  of  his  birth  have  not  been 
•discovered.  The  place  of  his  birth  was  probably  Picardy, 
and  the  time,  prior  to  the  close  of  the  fourteenth  century* 
No  particulars  of  his  early  years  are  known,  except  that 
he  evinced,  when  young,  a  love  for  application,  and  a 
dislike  to  indolence.  The  quotations  also  from  Sallust, 
Livy,  Vegetius,  and  other  ancient  authors,  that  occur  in 
his  Chronicles,  shew  that  he  must  have  made  some  progress 
in  Latin  literature.  He  appears  to  have  been  resident  in 
Cambray  when  he  composed  his  history,  and  passed  there 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  In  1436  he  was  nominated  to 
the  office  of  .lieutenant  du  Gavenier  of  the  Cambresis ;  the 
gavenier  was  the  collector  or  receiver  of  the  annual  dues 
payable  to  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  by  the  subjects  of  the 
church  in  the  Cambresis,  for  the  protection  of  them  as 
earl  of  Flanders.  Mohstrelet  also  held  the  office  of  bailiff 
to  the  chapter  of  Cambray  from  1436  to  1440,  when  ano- 
ther was,app6intdd.  The  respect  and  consideration  which 
he  had  now  acquired,  gained  him  the  dignity  of  governor 
of  Cambray  in  1444,  and  in  the  following  year  he  was < no- 
minated bailiff  of  Wallaincourt.  He  retained  both  of  those 
places  until  his  death,  which  happened  about  the  middle 
of  July,  in  1453.  His  character  in  the  register  of  the  Cor- 
deliers, and' by  the  abbot  of  St.  Aubert,  was  that  of  "a 
very  honourable  and  peaceable  man  ;"  expressions,  says  his 
biographer,  that  appear  simple  at  first  sight,  but  which 
epntatn  a  real  eulogium,  if  we  consider  the  troublesome 
tifnea  ki  which  Monstrelet  lived,  the  places  he  held,  the 
interest  he  must  have  had  sometimes  to  betray  the  truth  in 
favour  of  one  of  the  factions  which  then  divided  France, 

• 

1  Biog.  Brit,— Campbell's  JLires  of  the  British  Admirals.— Collins's  Peerage, 
new  edit. 


?«6        MOWSTREIET. 

and  caused  the  revoKftttons<  the*  history  of  which  be  ha*  pub- 
lished during  the  lite  of  the  principal  actors. 

Monstrelet's  wodt,  of  which  there  are  folio  editions,  the 
first  withoutdate,  the  others  1518,  3  vols.  1*572*  &c«  is  called 
4<iCht(HMeles9"  bjut  deserves  rather  to  bo  classed  as  history, 
alLthe  characteristics  of  historical  writing  being  jfownd  in 
it  notwithstanding  its  imperfections  and  oa&issions.  Hie 
traces  erects  to  tbeirsoOTce^developes  the  causes, illustrates 
them  with  the  minutest  details ;  and  bestows  the  utmost 
^ttenUoninpcoduckigihisaatharities  fixim  edicts,  declara- 
tions, &ci  His  narrative  begins  on  Easter  Day  in  140Q, 
where  that/of  FuoiasarteiKls,  .a«d  extends  to  the  death  of 
the  duke  xif  Burgundy  tin  1467,  but  the  last  thirteen  years 
were  written  by  ian  unknown- author,  jand  it  has  since  been 
^ootsmied  by  other  bands'  to  1516.  After  the  example  df 
Jfroissart,  he  dees  ,notcon&ue  himself  to  events  that  passed 
in  France;  he  «mbraoesy  with  almost  equal  detail,  the  moat 
remarkable  circumstances  which  happened  during  his  time 
in  Flanders,  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  But  it  be- 
comes unnecessary  here  to  expatiate  on  the  particular 
merits  of  this  wort,  as  they  are  now  known  to  the  English 
public  by  the  excellent  translation  lately  published  by 
Thomas  Johnes,  esq.  at  the  Hafod  press,  in  1810,  and 
which,  with  his  preceding  English  edition  of  Froissart,  h 
justly  entitled  to  form  a  part  in  every  useful  library.  From 
the  biographical  preface  to  Mr.  Johnes* s  Monstrelet,  we 
have  gleaned  the  above  particulars.1 

MONTAGUE  (Charles,  Earl  of  Halifax),  an  Engi- 
lish  statesman  and  poet,  was  born  April  16,  1661,  at  Hor- 
ton  in  Northamptonshire.  He  was  the  son  of  Mr.  George 
Montague,  a  younger  son  of  the  earl  of  Manchester.  He 
was  educated  first  in  the  country,  and  then  removed  to 
Westminster,  where,  in  1677,  he  was  chosen  a  king's 
acholar,  and  recommended  himself  to  the  celebrated  mas- 
ter of  the  school,  Busby,  by  his  felicity  in  extemporary 
epigrams.  He  contracted  a  very  intimate  friendship  with 
Mr.  Stepney;  and,  in  1682,  when  Stepney  was  elected  to 
Cambridge,  the  election  of  Montague  not  being  to  .pro* 
ceed  till  the  year  following,  he.  was  afraid  lest  by  being 
placed  at  Oxford,  be  might  be  separated  from  his  compa* 
jMon,  and  therefore  solicited  to  be  removed  to  Cambridge, 

*  Prtface  as  abeve,  from  the  Memoir*  de  tfAac&fua  4*  Betlss  LeUta, 
Tel.  XJLIII.  by  M.  Dacier.  s      t 


MO-XT  A,G:U  E;  2*7 

without  waiting  for  die  advantages  of  another  year;    He  • 
was  now  in  bis  twenty-first  year,  and  his  relation,  Dr.  Mon~  : 
tague,  wasthen  master  of  Trinity  college  in  which  he  wns 
placed  a  fellow-commoner,,  and  took  him  under  bis  parti*  * 
cular  care.     Here  lie  commenced  an  acquaintance  with 
tbe  great  Newton/  which  continued  through  his  life,  and 
was  at  last  attested  by  a  legacy, 

•  In  1685,  he  wrote  some  verses  on  the  death  of  king 
Charley  which  made  such  an  impression  on  tbe  earl  of  Dor- 
set, that  he  was  invited  to  town,  and  introduced  by  that  uni- 
versal patron  to  tbe  other  wits*    In  1687,  he  joined  withr. 
Prior  in  "  The  City  Mouse  and  the  .Country  Mouse/9  one 
oif  his  best  compositions,  which  was  intended  as.  3  bur* 
Jesque  of  Dry  den's  "  Hind  and  Panther.9'    Commencing 
bis  political  career,  he  signed  tbe  invitation  to  the  prince  -. 
of  Orange,  and  sat  in  the  convention*    He  about  tbe  same 
time  married  tbe  countess  dowager  of  Manchester, 'and  in- 
tended to  have  taken  orders;  but  afterwards  altering  his- 
purpose,  he  purchased  for  1500/.  the  place  of  one  of  the 
clerk*  of  the  council. 

•  After  he  bad  written  his  epistle  on  tbe  victory  of  die 
Boyne,  bis  patron  Dorset  introduced  him  ,to  king  William,  - 
with  tbifr  expression :  "  Sir,  I  have  brought  a  mouse  to 
wait  on  your  majesty,"  To  which  the  king  i?  said  to  have 
replied,  "  You  do  well  to  put  me  in  the  way  of  making  a 
man  of  him ;"  and  ordered  him  a  pension  of  five  hundred, 
pounds*  This  story,  however  current,  says  Dr.  Johnson, 
seems  to  have  been  made  after  the  event.  The  king's 
answer  implies  a  greater  acquaintance  with  our  proverbial 
and  familiar  diction  than  king  William  could  possibly  have 
attained.  .   .        . 

In  March  1691,  Mr.  Montague  first  displayed  his  abilU 
ties  in  the  debates  upon  tbe  bill  for  regulating  trials  in  cases 
of  high  treason  ;  the  design  of  this  bill,  among  other  things, 
was  to  allow  counsel  to  prisoners  charged  with  that  offence, 
while  the  trial  was  depending*,  Montague  rose  up  to  speak 
for  it,  but  after  uttering  a  few  sentences,  was  struck  so 
suddenly  with  surprise,  that,  for  a  while,  be  was  not  able 
to  go  on.  Recovering  himself,  he  took  occasion,  from 
thi$  circumstance,  "  to  enforce  the  necessity  of  allowing 
counsel  to  prisoners,  who  were  to  appear  before  their 
judges ;  since  he,  who  was  not  only  innocent,  and  unac- 
cused,  but  one  of  their  own  members,  was  so  dashed 

Vol.  XXII.  S- 


258  MOKTAGITE 

when  be  wa&  to  speak  before  that  wise  and*  illustrious  as- 
sembly*." ' 

In  this  year,  f691,  he  was  made  one  of  the  commis- 
sioners of  the  treasury,  and  called  to  the  privy  council ; 
and  in  1694  was  appointed  second  commissioner  and  chan- 
cellor of  the  exchequer,  and  under-treasurer.  In  1695, 
he  entered  into  the  design  of  re-coining  all  the  current 
money  of  the  nation  ;  which,  though  great  difficulties  at-  > 
tended  it,  he  completed  in  the  space  of  two  years.  In* 
1-698,  he  projected  the  scheme  for  a  general  fund,  which, 
gave  rise  to  the  sinking  fund,  afterwards  established  by 
sir  Robert  Walpole.  The  same  year,  he*  found  out  a  me- 
thod to  raise  the  sinking*  credit  of  the  Bank  of  England; 
and,  in  1697,  he  provided  against  the  mischiefs  from  the 
scarcity  of  money,  by  raising,  for  the  sepvice  of  the  go- 
vernment, above  two  millions  in  exchequers-notes ;  ba 
which7  occasion  he  was  sometimes  called  the  British  Ma**  - 
ohiavel.  Before  the  end  of  this*  session  of  parliament,  it 
was  resolved  by  the  House  of  Commons,  that  "  Charles 
Montague,  esq.  chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  for  his  good 
services  to  the  government,  did  deserve  his  majesty's  fa- 
vour." This  vote,  when  we  consider  that  the  public  affairs 
called  for  the  skill  of  the  ablest  statesmen,  and  that  he  was 
at  this  time  not  more  than  thirty-six  years  of  age,  may  be 
admitted  as  a  proof  of  the  high  esteem  entertained  of  his 
abilities. 

In  1 098*,  being  advanced  to  the  first  commission  of  titer 
treasury,  he  wa&  appointed  one  of  the  regency  in  the  king's 
absence :  the  next  year  he  was  made  auditor  of  the  exche- 
quer, and  the  year  after  created  baron  Halifax.  He  was, 
however,  impeached  by  the  Commons ;  but  the  articles-, 
were  dismissed  by  the  Lords, 

At  the  accession  of  queen  Anne  he  was  dismissed  from 
the  council1 :  and  in  the  first  parliament  of  her  reign  was* 
again  attacked  by  the  Commons,  and  again  escaped  by  the 
protection  of  the  Lords.     In  1704,  he  wrote  an  answer  to 

*  Mr.  Reed  observes  that  this  atiec-  ing  thrown  out  hy  the  House  of  Lords, 

dote  is  related  by  Mr.  Walpoie,  in  bis  ft  became  a  law  in  the  7th  William^ 

Catalogue  of  rTojfral  stadWoble  Authors-,  when    Halifax  and   Shaftesbury   both 

of  ike  earl  of  Shaftesbury,  author  of  bad  seats.    The  editors  of  the  "  BU*» 

the  M  Characteristic*}."  but  it  appears  srraphia   Britannica"  adopt  Mr. Wat- 

to  he  a  mi»tafk«,  if  we  are  to  under-  pole's  story,  but  they  are  not  speaking 

stand  that  the  words  were  spoken  by  of  this  period.  The  story  first  appeared 

Shaftesbury  at  this  time,  when  be  had  in  the  Life  of  lord  Halifax,  publiahesl 

no  seal  in  the  House  6f  Commons  ;  iff  1715. 
nar  did  the  bill  pass  at  tow  time,  be*  •  * 


MON  T  A  G  U  E; 


259 


B&fltley's  Speech  •  against  -  occasional  conformity.  <  Kfe 
headed  the  inquiry  into  the  danger  of  the  church.  In  1706* 
he  proposed  and  negotiated  the  union  .with  Scotland  ;  and 
when  the  elector  of  Hanover  had  received  the  garter,  after 
the,  act  had  pasaed  for  securing  the  protestant.  succession, 
he  was  appointed  to  carry  the  ensigns  of  the  order  to  the 
electoral  court.  .  He  sat  as  one  of  the  judges  of  Sache- 
yereU ;  but  voted  for  a  mild  sentence.  Being  now  no 
longer  in  favour,  he  contrived  to  obtain  a  writ  for  sum- 
moning the  electors!  prince  to  parliament  as  duke  of  Cam- 
bridge. At  the  queen's  death  he  was  appointed  one  of  the 
regency,  during  her  successor's  absence  from  his  kingdoms ; 
and,,  as  soon  as  George  I.  bad  taken  possession  of  the 
throne,  he  was  created  earl  of  Halifax,  installed  knight  of 
the  garter,  and  expected  to  have  been  appointed  lord  high 
treasurer;  but  as  he  was  only. created  first  commissioner, 
be  was  highly  chagrined,  nor  was  he  pacified  by  the  above 
honours,  or  by  the  transfer  of  the.  place  of  auditor  of  the 
^chequer  to  his  nephew.  Inflamed,  says  Mr.  Coxe,  by 
disappointed  ambition,  be  entered  into  cabals  with  the  tory 
foaders,  for  the  removal  of  those  with  whom  he  had  so  long 
cordially  acted ;  but  his  death  put  an  end  to  bis  intrigues. 
While  he  appeared  to  be  in  a  very  vigorous  state  of  health, 
he  was  suddenly  taken  ill,  May  15,  and  died  on  the  19th, 
1115. 

As  he  was  a  patron  of  poets,  his  own  works  did  not  miss 
of  celebration*  Addison  began  to  praise  him  early,  and 
was  followed  or  accompanied  by  other  poets;,  perhaps, by 
almost  all,  except  Swift  and  Pope,  who  forbore  to  flatter 
him  in  his  life,  because  he  had  disappointed  their  hopes; 
and  after  his  death  spoke  of  him,  Swift  with  slight  censure, 
and  Pope  in  the  character  of  Bufo  with  acrimonious  con- 
tempt*. 

He  was,  :  as  Pope  says,  "  fed  with  dedications ;"  and 
Tickell  affirms  that  no  dedication  was  unrewarded.  Dr. 
Johnson's  remarks  on  this  are  too  valuable  to  be  omitted. 


**  *  Pope's  contemptuous  character  of 
lord  Halifax  as  Bnfo  oocuri  in  the 
"  Prologue  to  thj?  Satire*,"  and  yet  in 
the  "  Epilogue"  to  the  same,  he  says 
in  a  note  that  Halifax  was  "  a  peer  no 
less  distinguished  by  his  love  of  letters 
than  bis  abilities  in.  parliament."  In 
the  preface  to  the  lUad,  he  also  speaks 
highly  of  him,  but  they  had  not  at  that 
time  fallen  out.    The  cause  of  their 


quarrel  is  stated  in  Johnson's  life  of 
Pope,  with  a  ludicrous  anecdote  re- 
specting Halifax's  talents  as  a  critic. 
Swift's  dislike  was  founded  on  the  same 
cause  as  Pope's,  disappointment  of 
certain  expectations  from  lord  Halifex, 
of  whom  be  said  that  "  his  encourage- 
ments were  only  good  words  and  good 
dinners." 


S  2 


ft60  MONTAGUE. 


"  To  charge  all  unmerited  praise  with  the  guilt  of  flattery, 
and  to  suppose  that  the  encomiast  always  knows  and  feels 
the  falsehoods  of  bis  assertions,  is  surely  to  discover  greet 
ignorance  of  human  nature  and  human  life.  In  determi* 
nations*  depending  not  on  rales,  but  on  experience  and 
comparison,  judgment  is  always  in  some  degree  subject  to 
affection.  Very  near  to  admiration  is  the  wish  to  admire. 
Every  man  willingly  gives  value  to  the  praise  which  he 
receives,  and  considers  the  sentence  passed  in  bis  favour 
as  the  sentence  of  discernment.  We  admire  in  a  friend 
that  understanding  which  selected  us  for  confidenoe ;  we 
admire  more,  in  a  patron,  that  judgment  which,  instead  of 
scattering  bounty  indiscriminately,  directed  it  to  us ;  and,  if 
the  patron  be  an  author,  those  performances  which  grati- 
tude forbids  us  to  blame,  affection  will  easily  dispose  as  to 
exalt.  To  these  prejudices,  hardly  culpable,  interest  adds 
a  power  always  operating,  though  not  always,  because  act 
willingly,  perceived.  The  modesty  of  praise  wears  gra- 
dually away ;  and  perhaps  the  pride  of  patronage  may  be 
in  time  so  increased,  that  modest  praise  will  no  longer 
please."  The  opinion  of  the  same  critic,  on  the  poetry  of 
Montague,  may  safely  be  quoted,  as  it 1  seems  to  be  the 
general  one.  "  It  would  now  be  esteemed  no  honour,,  by 
a  contributor  to  the  monthly  bundle  of  verses,  to  be  told, 
that,  in  strains  either  familiar  or  solemn,'  he  sings  like 
Montague.'*  His  poems  and  speeches,  with  memoirs  of 
his  life,  were  published  in  17 15.  The  former  were  inserted 
in  Dr.  Johnson's  edition  of  the  English  Poets,  but  although 
they  have  served  to  make  his  name  more  familiar  with  the 
public,  it,  is  in  political  history  that  his  character  appear* 
to  greatest  advantage.1 

MONTAGUE  (Edward),  earl  of  Sandwich,  an  Eng- 
lish general,  admiral,  and  statesman,  was  the  only  surviving 
sen  of  sir  Sidney  Montague,  the  youngest  son  of  Edward 
lord  Montague  of  Bough  ton.  He  was  born  July  27,  1625, 
and  after  a  liberal  education  was  very  early  introduced 
into  public  life.  His  career  may  be  said  to  have  com* 
menced  at  the  age  of  eighteen  ;  for  in  August  1643  he  was 
commissioned  to  raise  a  regiment  in  the  service  of  the 
parliament,  and  to  act  against  Charles  I.  He  then' joined 
the  army,  and  acquitted  himself  with  great  courage  at  the 

>  i  Bk>g»  Brit— Life  prefixed  to  hi*  Wort*.— Jottnfon's  Life  hi  English  Foetf. 
— Cibber's  Lives.—Swift's  and  Pope's  Works ;  let  Indexes.— Park's  edition  •# 
the  Royal  and  Noble  Authors. 


MONTAGUE.  261 

storming  of  Lincoln,  the  battles  of  Morston-moor  and 
Naseby,  and  on  other  occasions,  before  be  had  arrived  at 
•his  twentieth  year.  He  sat  also  in  the  House  of  Commons 
a*  representative  for  Huntingdonshire  before  he  was  of  age, 
ajwl  had  afterwards  a  seat  at  the  board  of  treasury  under: 
Cromwell.  After  the  Dutch  war  be  went  from  the  army 
t*  the  navy,  had  a  command  in  the  fleet,  and  Cromwell 
Jmd  so  good  an  opinion  of  him,  as  to  associate  him  with  the  ■ 
celebrated  admiral  Blake  in  bis  expedition  to  the  Medi- 
terranean. In  1656  he  returned  to  England  with  some  rich- 
prizes,  and  received  the  thanks  of  the  parliament,  as  well 
as  renewed  instances  of  Cromwell's  favour.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  he  was  appointed  to  command  the  fleet  in  the 
Downs,  the  object  of  which  was  to  wsrtch  the  Dutch,  to 
carry  on  the  war  with  8pain,  and  to  facilitate  the  enter* 
prize  ef  Dunkirk.  After  the  death  of  Cromwell,  he  ac- 
cepted, under  Richard,  the  command  of  a  large  fleet  which 
was  sent  to  the  North,-  on  board  of  which  he  embarked  in 
the  spring  of  1659.  I A  April  he  wrote  to  the  kings  of  Swe- 
den and  Denmark,  and  to  the  Dutch  admiral  Opdam,  in- 
forming them  that  his  instructions  were,  not  to  respect  the 
private  advantage  of  England  by  making  war,  but  the  ge- 
neral tranquillity  of  Europe,  by  engaging  the  Powers  of 
the  North  to  enter  into  an  equitable  peace ;  and  in  the  ne- 
gotiations which  he  carried  on  with  other  ministers  to  effect 
fhfc  purpose,  he  is  said  to  have  displayed  the  talents  of  a 
aommmtirate  statesman. 

-He  appears,  however,  about  this  time,  to  have  conceived 
a  dislike  against  his  employers ;  for  which  tWo  reasons  are 
assigned ;  the  one,  that  previous  to  his  sailing,  the  paftia* 
ment  had  tied  him  down  to  act  only  in  conjunction  with 
their  commissioners,  one  of  whom  was  Algernon  Sidney ; 
tnd  the  other,  that  they  had  given  away  his  regiment  of 
horse*  -While  thus  employed,  and  with  these  feelings* 
Charles  II,  sent  him  two  letters,  one  from  himself,  and  the 
©tfeerfrom  chancellor  Hyde,  the  purpose  of  which  was  to 
induce  him  to  withdraw  from  the  service  of  parliament* 
tad,  as  a  necessary  step,,  to  return  with  the  fleet  to  Eng+ 
land,  wbere  it  ikiight  be  ready  to  act  in  conjunction  with 
air  George  Booth  and  others,  who  were  already  disposed  to 
promote  the  restoration.  He  accordingly  set  sail  for  Etjg+ 
land,  but  had  the  mortification  to  find  that  sir  George 
Booth  wai  in  the  Tbwer,  the  parliament  in  full  authority, 
and  a  charge  agaiiist  himself  brought  by  Algernon  Sidney. 


2«2  MONT  A  G  U"E.' 

He  set  out,  however,  for  London,  and  defended  his  con- 
duct to  parliament  with  so  much  plausibility,  that  the  only 
consequence  was  his  being  dismissed  from -his  command. 
*.  His  retirement  was  not  of  long  duration  ;  and  upon  the 
nearer  approach  of  the  restoration,  general  Monk  having- 
procured  him  to  be  replaced  in  bis  former  rank  in  the  navyt 
he  convoyed  the  king  to  England,  who  made  him  a  knight 
of  the  garter,  and  soon  afterwards  created  him  baron  Mon- 
tague of  St.  Neots  in  Huntingdonshire,  viscount  Hinchin- 
broke  in  the  same  county,  and  eari  of  Sandwich  in  Kent. 
He  was  likewise  sworn  a  member  of  the  privy  council,  made 
master  of  the  king's  wardrobe,  admiral  of  the  narrow  seas, 
and  lieutenant  admiral  to  the  duke  of  York,  as  lord  high 
admiral  of  England.  When  the  Dutch  war  began  in  1664, 
the  duke  of  York  took  upon  him  the  command  of  the  fleet 
as  high  admiral,  and  the  earl  of  Sandwich  commanded  the 
blue  squadron  ;  and  by  his  well-timed  efforts,  a  great  num- 
ber .of  the  enemy's  ships  were  taken.  In  the  great  battle, 
June  3,  1665,  when  the  Dutch  lost  their  admiral  Opdauv 
and  had  eighteen  men  of  war  .taken,  and  fourteen  de- 
stroyed,, a  large  share  of  the  honour  of  the  victory  was 
justly  assigned  to  the  earl  of  Sandwich,  who  also  on  Sept.  4, 
of  the  same  year,  took  eight  Dutch  men  of  war,  two  of 
their  best  East  India  ships,  and  twenty  sail  of  their  mer- 
chantmen. 

Soon  after  his  return  to  England,  he  was  sent  to  the 
court  of  Madrid,  to  negociate  a  peace  between  Spain  and 
Portugal,  which  he  not  only  effected  in  the  most  satisfac- 
tory manner,  but  also  concluded  with  the  court  of  Spain* 
one  of  the  most  beneficial  treaties  of  commerce  that  ever 
was  made  for  this  nation.  On  /the  renewal  of  the  Dutob 
war  in  1672,  his  lordship  embarked  again  with  the  duke  of 
York,  and  commanded  the  blue  squadron.  The  fleet  came 
in  sight  of  the  Dutch  about  break  of  day,  May  28,  and  in 
the  subsequent  engagement  he  performed  such  exploits  as 
could  not  fail  to  have  rendered  the  victory  complete,  had 
he  been  properly  seconded  by  his  squadron,  but  a  Dutch 
fire-ship,  covered  by  the  smoke  of  the  enemy,  having 
grappled  the  Royal  James  (that  on  which  the  earl  of  Sand«* 
wich  foughj:),  set  her  in  aflame,  and,  the  brave  earl  perish- 
ed with  several  gallant  officers.  His  body  being  found 
about  a  fortnight  afterwards,  was,  by  his  majesty's  orders 
brought  to  London,  and  interred  with  great  solemnity  in 
Henry   Vll.'s  chapel,    Weslp&inster-^bbey.     It  was  su£* 


;M  0:N  TA«  U  E.  CJ263 

.posed  by  many,  though  unjustly,  that  the  duke  of  York 
did  not  support  him  as  he  might  have  done  towards  the 
ibeginning  of  the  action  ;  but  it  was  agreed  by  all,  that  sir 
Joseph  Jordan,  the  earl's  vice-admiral,  might  have  disen~ 
gaged  bim.  His  loss  occasioned  great  reflections  on  the 
duke  ;  and  in. the  parliament  which  met  at  Westminster  in 
.Oct..  1680,  when  the  exclusion  bill  was  in  debate,  some 
members  openly  charged  him  in  the  House,  of  Commons 
with  the  death  of  the  earl  of  Sandwich. 

Toe  character  of  this  nobleman,  may  be  inferred  from 
the. above  particulars.  Of  his  bravery  and  skill  both  as  a 
commander  and  statesman,  there  cannot  beany  difference 
of  opinion ;  but  there  are  the  strongest  inconsistencies  in 
his  political  career,  and  perhaps  greater  inconsistencies  in 
.the  dispensation  pf  court-favours  after  the  restoration.  He 
iad  contributed  to  dethrone  the  father,  and  bad  offered 
•  the  son's. crown  to  the  usurper;  yet  for  his  slow  services  at 
£he  very  eve  of  the  restoration,  Charles  II.  heaped  rewards 
and  honours  upon  bim,  while  he  neglepted  thousands  who 
had,  .at  the  risk. of  life  and  property,  adhered  to  the  royal 
^ause  through. aUats -vicissitudes. 

Lord  Orford,  who  has  given  this  nobleman  a  place  in 
his  "  Catalogue  of  Royal  and  Noble. Authors,"  mentions  of 
his  writing,  •?  A  Letter,  to  Secretary  Thurloe,"  in  the  first 
volume  of  "  Thurloe's  State-papers. ;"  "  Several  .Letters 
during  his  Embassy  to  Spain,"  published  with  ".  Arling- 
ton's LQtiera.;"  and  "  Original  Letters  and  Negotiations,  of 
Sir  R,icbard  Faashaw,  .the  Earl  of  Sandwich,  the  Carl  of 
Sunderland,  and  Sir  WiUiam  Gqdolphiu,  wherein  divers 
matters  between  the  three  Crowns  of  England,  Spain,  and 
Portugal,  from  1603  to  1678,  are  set  in  a  clear  light,"  in 
2  vols.  Svo.  He  was  also  the.  author  of  a  singular  transla- 
tion, called  "  The  Art  of  Metals,  in  which  is  declared,  the 
planner  of  their  Generation,  and  the  Concbmitants  of  them, 
in  Uvo  books,  written  in  Spanish  by  Albaro  Alonzo  Rarba, 
JVt.  A-  <? urate  of  St.  Bernard's  parish,  in  the  imperial  city 
of  Potosi,  in  the  kingdom  of  Peru,  in  the  West  Indies,  in 
J 640;  translated  in  1669,  by  the  right  honourable  Edward 
earl  of  Sandwich/'  1674,  a  small  Svo.  A  short  preface  of 
the  editor  says  :  "  The  original  was  regarded  in  Spain  and 
ibe  West  Indies  as  an  inestimable  jewel ;  but  that,  falling 
into  the  earl's  hands,  he  enriched  our  language  with  it, 
being  content  that  .all  our  lord  the  king's  people  should  Jba 


ft64  MONTAGU  E. 

?phiIosopheYs."  Therfc  are  also  some  astronomical  observa- 
tions of  his  in  No.  21  of  the  Philosophical  Transactions.1  ' 
MONTAGUE  (John),  fourth  earl  of  Sandwich,  son 
of  Edward  Richard  Montague,  lord  viscount  Hinchinbroke* 
and  Elizabeth  only  daughter  of  Alexander  Popbam,  esq.  of 
Littlecote  in  the  couuty  of  Wilts,  was-  born  in  the  parish 
of  St.  Martin  in  the  Fields,  Westminster,  Nov.  3,- 17 id. 
He  was  sent  at  an  early  age  to  Eton  school,  where,  tinder 
the  tuition  of  Dr.  George,  he  made  a  considerable  prtf- 
*ficieucy  in  the  classics.  In  1735,  hfe  was  admitted  of  Tri- 
nity college,  Cambridge,  and  during  his  residence  thert, 
he  and  the  late  lord  Halifax  were  particularly  distinguished 
for  their  college  exercises ;  and  were  the  first  noblemen 
who  declaimed  publicly  in  the  college  chapel.  After 
spending  about  two  years  at  Cambridge,  he  set  out  on  fc 
voyage  round  the  Mediterranean,  bis  account  of  which  has 
Recently  been  published.  Mr.  Ponsonby,  late  earl  of  BesJ- 
fcorough*  Mr.  Nelthorpe,  and  Mr.  Mackye,  accompanied 
bis  lordship  (for  he  was  now  earl  of  Sandwich)  on  this 
agreeable  tour,  with  Liotard  the  painter,  as  we  have  no* 
ticed  in  his  article  (vol.  XX.)  On  his  lordship's  return  tft- 
England,  he  brought  with  him,  aft  appears  by  a  letter  writ- 
ten by  him  to  the  rev.  I>r.  Dampier,  "  two  mummies  and 
eight  embalmed  ibis's  from  the  catacombs  of  Memphis ;  4 
large  quantity  of  the  famous  Egyptian  papyrus ;  fifteen 
intaglios ;  five  hundred  tfieiials,  most  of  them  easier  to  be 
read  than  that  which  Jias  the  inscriptidn  FAMIAN ;  a  mad- 
Me  vase  from  A'thetis,  and  a  very  long  inscription  vas  yet 
wideeyphered',  on  both  sides  of  a  piece  of  marble  of  about 
two  feet  in  height.9'  This  marble  was  afterwards  presented 
to  Trinity  college,  and  the  inscription  was  explained  by 
the  late. learned  Dr.  Taylor,  in  174$,  by  the  title  of  i/*r- 
mor  Sandvicense. 

*  Being  now  of  age,  he  took  his  teat  in  the  House  of  Lords> 
and  began  his  political  career  by  joining  the  party  then  irt 
opposition  to  sir  Robert  Walpole.  On  the  formation  df 
the  ministry  distinguished  by  the  appellation  of  broad* 
bdttovi,  he  was  appointed  second  lord  of  the  admiralty^ 
Dec.  15,  1744^  In  consequence  of  the  active  part  which 
he  took  in  raising  men  to  quell  the  rebellion  in  1745,  hi 
obtained  rank  in  the  army.     His  political  talents  must  at 


« *  * 


I  Campbtll'a  Lives  of  the  Admirals. ^-ColliQg'g  ^eerage.by  sir  E,  Bry^ges*^f 
J>ark'8  edition  of  the  Royal  and  Noble  Authors. 


MONTAGUS.  263 

tfcis  time  have.'  been  acknowledged,  as  in  1746  be,  was 
appointed  plenipotentiary  to  the  congress  to  be  holden  at 
.Breda**  and  next  year  his  powers  were  renewed,  and  con* 
tinned  till  the  definitive  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at  Aix* 
la-Cbajtelie  in  Oct  1748.  On  his  return  he  was  sworn  of 
the  privy- council,  and  appointed  first  lord  of  the  admiralty; 
.and  on  the,  king's  embarking  for  Hanover,  he  wad  declared 
one  of  .the  lords  justices  during  his  majesty's  absence.-  In 
June  1751,  be  was  displaced  from  the  admiralty,  and  did 
not  again  hold  any  public  office  till  1755,  when  he  became 
one  of  the  joiut  vice*- treasurers  of  Ireland.  In  April  1763; 
lie  was  again  appointed  first  lord  of  theadoriraJty ;  and  the 
death  of  lord  Hardwicke  causing  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of 
high  steward  of  the  university  of  Cambridge,  lord  S&ncU 
wich  became  a  candidate  to  succeed  him,  but  failed,  aitet 
a  very  close  contest.  In  1765  he  was  again  out  of  office* 
b.q*  in  1768  was  made  joint- postmaster  with  lord  Le  De«* 
spencer.  In  Jan.  1771,  under  lord  North's  administca* 
tioo,  he  was  a  third  time  appointed  first  lord  of  the  adnu\i 
ralty,  frhich  he  held  during. the  whole  stormy  period  of  the 
American  war^  and  resigned  only  on  the  dissolution  of  the 
ministry  which  bad  carried  it  on:  His  conduct  in  the  ad-* 
miralty  was  allowed  to  redound  greatly  to  his  credit.  He 
neforraed  many  abuses  in  the  dock-yards;  increased  the 
establishment  of  the  marines ;  set  the  example-  of  annual 
visitations  to  the  dock-yards  ;  was  the  promoter  and  patroi* 
of  several  voyages  of  discovery;  and  upon  the. whole,  bis 
attention  to  and  knowledge  of  the  duties  of  the  naval  de* 
parttnent,  although  sometimes  the  objects  of  jealous  in* 
quiryj  bad  probably  never  been  exceeded* 

In  1763,  under  the  coalition  cabinet  he  accepted  thg 
tangership  of  the  parks,  which  he  held  only  until  the  fcl-* 
lowing  year,  and  then  returned  to  the  calm  satisfaction  of 
a  private  station.  In  1791,  a  complaint  in  the  bowels,  to 
which  he  had  been  subject,  obliged  him  to  try  the  waters 
of  Bath;  but,  receiving  no  benefit,  he  returned  to  his 
house  in  town  in  the  latter  end  of  February  1792,  where 
after  languishing  for  some  weeks,  he  died  April  30. 

"The  earl  of  Sandwich,"  says  his  biographer,  "was 
father  to  be  considered  as  an  able  and  intelligent  speaker* 
then  a  brilliant  and  eloquent  orator*  In  his  early  parlia* 
mentary  career,  he  displayed  uncommon  knowledge  of  the 
sort  of  composition  adapted  to  make  an  impression  on  a. 
popular  assembly ;  arid  from  a  happy  choice  of  words,  and 


B66 


MONTAGUE. 


a  judicious  arrangement  of  his  argument,  be  seldom  spoke 
without  producing  a  sensible  effect  on  the  mind  of  every 
impartial  auditor.     In  the  latter  part  of  bis  political  life, 
and  especially  during  the  American  war,  bis  harangues 
were  less  remarkable  for  their  grace  and  ornament,  than 
for  sound  sense,  and  the  valuable  and  appropriate  informa- 
tion which  they  communicated.     His  speeches,  therefore, 
were  regarded  as  ihe  lessons  of  experience  and  wisdom* 
He  was  never  ambitious  of  obtruding  himself  upon  the 
house.     Heibad  a  peculiar  delicacy  of  forbearanoe,  arising 
from  a  Sense  of  propriety  ;  which,  if  more  generally  prac- 
tised, would  tend  very  much  to  expedite  the  public  busi- 
ness by  compressing  the  debates,  now  usually  drawn  out 
to  an  immeasurable  and  tiresome  length,  within  more  rea- 
sonable bounds.     If,  after  having  prepared  himself  on  any 
important  question,  when  he  rose  iti  the  bouse  any  other , 
lord  first  caught  the  chancellor's  eye,  he  sat  down  with  Abe 
most  accommodating  patience  ;  and,  if  the  lord,  who  spoke 
before  him,  anticipated  tbe  sentiments  which  be  meant  to 
offer,  he  either  did  not  speak,  at  all,  or  only  spoke 'to  such 
points  as  had  not  been   adverted  to  by  the  preceding 
speaker.     Whenever,  therefore,  be  rose,  the  House  was 
assured  that  he  had  something  material  to  communicate: 
lie  was  accordingly  listened  to  with  attention,  and  seldom 
sat  down  without  furnishing  their  lordships  with  facts  at 
ence  important  and  interesting ;  of  which  no  other  peer 
was  so  perfectly  master  as  himself.     During  the  period  of 
the  American   war  be  -was   frequently  attacked  in  both 
houses  for  bis  official   conduct  or  imputed  malversation. 
When  any  such  attempts  were  made  in  the  House  of  Peees, 
be  heard  his  accusers  with  patience,  and.  with  equal  tem- 
per as  .firmness  refuted  their  allegations,  exposing  their 
fallacy  or  their  falsehood.     On  all  such  occasions,  he  met 
his  opponents  fairly  and  openly,  in  some  instances  con* 
curring  in  their  motions  for  papers,  which  his  adversaries 
imagined  would  prove  him  a  negligent  minister ;  in. others 
resisting  their  object,  by  shewing  the  inexpediency  or  the 
impolicy  of  complying  with  their  requests.     In  the  .parlia** 
mentary  contest,  to  which  the  unfortunate  events  .of  the 
American  war  gave  rise,  he  is  to  be  found  more  than  onoe 
rising  in  reply  to  the  late  earl  of  Chatham ;  whose  exti*- 
ordinary  powers  of  eloquence  inspired  sufficient  awe  to 
silence  and  intimidate  even  lords  of  acknowledged  ability. 
Lord  Sandwich  never  in  such  cases  suffered  himself  to  be 


MONTAGUE.  t&l 

dfcSEfod'by  the  splendor  of  oratorical  talents ;  or  ever  spoke 
without  affording  proof  that  his  reply  was  necessary  and 
adequate.  In  fact,  his  lordship  never  rose  without  first 
satisfying  himself,  that  the  speaker  he  meant  to  reply  to 
was  in  error ;  and  that  a  plain  statement  of  the  facts  in 
question  would  dissipate  the  delusion,  and  afford  convic- 
tion to  the  house.  By  this  judicious  conduct  his  lordship 
secured  the  respect  of  those  whom  he  addressed,  and  cotn- 
iftanded  at  all  times  an  attentive  hearing." 

In  his  private  character,  his  biographer  bears  testimony 
to  the  easy  pojiteness^and  affability  of  his  manners;  his 
cheatfulness  and  hospitality ;  the  activity  of  his  disposition; 
ajdd  his  readiness  to  perform  acts  of  kindness.  Of  his 
morals  less  can  be  said.  He  was  indeed  a  man  of  pleasure, 
in  all  the  extent  of  that  character ;  his  most  harmless  en- 
joyment was  music,  in  whiifo  he  was  at  once  a  man  of 
taste,  a  warm  enthusiast,  and  a  liberal  patron.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  the  author  of  a  pamphlet,  entitled  "  A  State 
of  Facts  relative  to  Greenwich  hospital,*  1779,  in  reply 
to  captain  Balllie's  "  Case  of  the  Royal  Hospital  at  Green- 
wich," published  in  1778.  Since  his  death  has  been  pub- 
lished, "  A  Voyage  performed  by  the  Earl  of  Sandwich 
round  the  Mediterranean,  in  the  years  1738  and  1739, 
Written  by  himself."  This  was  edited  by  his  chaplain  the 
rev.  John  Cooke  in  1799,  with  a  memoir  of  the  noble  au- 
thor, from  which  we  have  extracted  the  above  particulars. 
This  noble  lord's  narrative  is  less  interesting  now  than  it 
would  have  been  about  the  period  when  it  was  written, 
and  is  indeed  very  imperfect  and  unsatisfactory,  but  the 
plan  and  execution  of  such  a  voyage  are  creditable  to  his 
lordship's  taste  and  youthful  ambition.1 

MONTAGU  (Lady  Mary  Wortley),  an  English  lady 
of  distinguished  talent,  by  marriage  related  to  the  Sand- 
wich family,  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  Evelyn  Pierrepoint, 
duke  of  Kingston,  and  the  lady  Mary  Fielding,  daughter 
of  William  earl  of  Denbigh.  She  was  born  about  1690, 
and  lost  her  mother  in  1694.  Her  capacity  for  literary 
attainments  was  such  as  induced  her  father  to  provide  her 
with  the  same  preceptors  as  viscount  Newark,  her  brother; 
'and  under  their  tuition,  she  made  great  proficiency  in  the 
Greek,  Latin,  and  French  languages.     Her  studies  were 

1  Memoir  as  above. — Collins't  Peerage,  by  Sir  E,  Brydges.— Mouth.  Rer. 
vol  XXXllt.  N.  S. 


*••  MONTAGU. 

afterwards  superintended  by  bishop  Burnet,  and  that  part 
bf  life  Which  by  females  of  her  rank  is  usually  devoted  to 
trifling  amusements,  or  more  trifling  "  accomplishments,'* 
w&s  spent  by  her  in  studious  retirement,  principally  at 
Thoresby  and  at  Acton,  near  London.  Her  society  Wtoi 
eonfined  to  a  few  friends,  among  whom  the  most  confidfctW 
tial  appears  to  have  been  Mrs.  Anne  Wortley,  wife  of  thef 
bott.  Sidney  Montagu,  second  son  of  the  heroic  earl  of 
Sandwich.  In  this  intimacy  originated  her  cOnnectiori 
with  Edward  Wortley  Montagu,  esq.  the  eldest  son  of  this 
lady ;  and  after  a  correspondence  of  about  two  years,  they 
were  privately  married  by  special  licence,  whifch  bear* 
date  August  12,  1712.  Mr.  Wortley  Was  a  man  possessed 
of  solid  rather  than  of  brilliant  parts,  but  in  parliament^ 
where  at  different  periods  of  bjs  life  he  had  represented  thO 
'cities  of  Westminster  and  Peterborough,  and  the  bbroughj, 
of  Huntingdon  and  Bossirtey,  he  acquired  considerable 
distinction  &4  a  politician  and  a  speaker.  In  1714  fee  was 
appointed  one  of  the  lords -commissioners  of  the  treasury; 
and  on  this  occasion  bis  lady  was  introduced  to  the  eoirrt 
of  George  I.  where  her  beauty,  wit,  and  spirit  wfcre  nut* 
versally  admired.  She  lived  also  in  habits  of  familiar  ac- 
quaintance with  tivo  of  the  greatest  geniuses  of  the  age£ 
'Addison  and  Pope ;  but  it  did  not  require  their  discern^ 
ment  to  discover  that,  even  at  this  time,  she  was  a  womaft 
of  very  superior  talents.  •  * 

In  1716,  Mr.  Wortley  resigned  his  situation  trs  a  lord  erf 
the  treasury,  on  being  appointed  ambassador  to  the  P<M*te, 
in  order  to  negociate  peace  between  the  Turks  and  Ida* 
perialists.  Lady  Mary  determined  to  accompany  hiixi  hi 
this  difficult  and?  during  war,  dangerous  journey,  and 
While  travellirior,  and  after  her  arrival  in  the  Levant,  amused 
Jierself  and  delighted  her  friends  by  a  regular  correspond* 
ence,  chiefly  directed  to  her  sister  the  countess  of  Maf, 
lady  Rich,  and  Mrs.  Thistlethwaite,  both  ladies  of  the  court; 
£nd  to  Mr.  Pope.  Previously  to  her  arrival  at  the  capital 
fcf  the  Ottoman  empire,  the  embassy  rested  about  twfr 
Inonths  at  Adrianople,  to  which  city  the  Sultan,  Acbmed 
the  third,  bad  removed  his  court.  It  was  here  that  she 
first  was  enabled  to  become  acquainted  with  the  customs  of 
the  Turks,  and  to  give  so  lively  and  so-  jtist  a  pictwfe  of 
their  domestic  manners  and  usages  of  ceremony.  Her  ad- 
mission into  the  interior  of  the  seraglio  was  one  of  her  most 
remarkable  adventures,  and  most  singular  privileges,  and 


MONTAGU.  169 

gwe  rise  to  many  strange  conjectures,  which  it  i#  not  now 
necessary  to  revive.    It  is  more  important  to  record  that, 
daring  hep  residence  at  Constantinople,  she  was  enabled 
to  confer  oo  Europe  a  benefit  of  the  greatest  consequence;, 
'tamely,  inoculation  for  the  small-pox.  which  was  at  that 
time  universal  in  the  Turkish  dominions.     This  practice 
she  examined  with  such  attention  as  to  become  perfectly 
satisfied  with  its  efficacy,  and  gave  the  most  intrepid  and 
convincing  proof  of  her  belief,  in  1717,  by  inoculating  hef 
son,  whd  was  then  about  three  years  old. '  Mr.  Mattland, 
who  had  attended  the  embassy  in  a  medical  character,  first 
endeavoured  to  establish  the  practice  in  London,  and  was- 
encouraged  by  lady  Mary's  patronage.    In  1721  the  ex- 
periment was  successfully  tried  on  some  criminals.     With 
50  much  ardour  did  lady  Mary,  on  her  return,  enforce  this 
salutary  innovation  among  mothers  of  her  own  Tank,  that, 
aa  we  find  in  her  letters,  much  of  her  time  was  necessarily 
dedicated  to  various  consultations;  and  to  the  superintend- 
ence of  the  success  of  her  plan.    In  1722,  she  had  a 
daughter  of  six  years  old,  inoculated,  who  was  afterwards 
countess  of  Bute }  and  in  a  short  time  the  children  of  the 
royal  family,  that  had  not  had  the  small-pox,  underwent 
the  same  operation  with  success ;  then  followed  some  of 
t)ie  nobility,  and  the  practice  gradually  prevailed  among  all 
&nks,  although  it  had  to  encounter  very  strong  prejudices ; 
and  was  soon  extended,  by  Mr.  Maitland  to  Scotland,  and 
by  other  operators  to  most  parts  of  Europe. 
.  Mr*  Wortley*s  negociations  at  the  Porte  having  failed, 
Owing  to  the  high  demands  of  the  Imperialists,  he  received^ 
letters  of  recall,  Oct.  28,  1717,  but  did  not  commence  his 
journey  till  June  1718;  in  October  of  the  same  year  he 
arrived  in  England.     Soon  after,  lady  Mary  was  solicited' 
by  Mr.  Pope  to  fix  her  summer  residence  at  Twickenham, 
with  which  she  complied,  and  mutual  admiration  seemed 
to  knit  these  kindred  geniuses  in  indissoluble  bonds.    A: 
short  time,  however,  proved  that  their  friendship  was  not 
superhuman.    Jealousy  of  her  talents,  and  a  difference  in 
apolitical  sentiments,  appear  to  have  been  the  primary  cause* 
of  that  dislike  which  soon  manifested  itself  without  cere- 
mony and  without  delicacy.     Lady  Mary  was  attached  to 
the  Walpole  administration  and  principles.     Pope  hated* 
the  whigs,  and  was  at  no  pains  to  conceal  his  aversion  in 
Conversation  or  writing.     What  was  worse,  lady  Mary  had. 
for  some  time  omitted  to  consult  him  upon  any  new  poeti-y 


27Q  MONTiG  U. 

cal  production,  and  even  when  be  had  been  formerly  vetf 
free  with  his  emendations,. was  wont  to  say,  u  Come,  no 
touching,  Pope,  for  what  is  good,  the  world  will  give-to 
you,  and  leave  the  bad  for  me ;"  and  she  was  well  aware 
that  he  disingenuously  encouraged  that  idea.  But  the 
more  immediate  cause  of  their  implacability,  was  a  satire 
in  the  form  of  a  pastoral,  entitled  "^Town  Eclogues;" 
These  were  some  of  lady  Mary's  earliest,  poetical  attempts, 
and  had  been  written  previously  to  her  leaving  England* 
After  her  return,  they  were  communicated .  to  a  favoured 
few,  and  no  doubt  highly  relished  from  their  supposed,  or 
teal  personal  allusions.  Botfy  Pope  and  Gay  suggested 
many  additions  and.  alterations,  which  were  certainly  not 
adopted  by  lady  Mary  ;  and  as  copies,  including  their  cor- 
rections, were  found  among  the  papers  of  these,  poets^ 
tjieir  editors  have  attributed  three  out  of  six  to  them* 
"  The.  Bfisset  Table,"  and  "The  Drawing  Boom,"  are 
given  to  Pope  ;  and  the  u  Toilet"  to  Gay*  The  publica- 
tion, however,  of  these  poems,  in  the  name  of  Pope,  by 
Curl,  a  bookseller  who  hesitated  at  nothing  mean  or  in* 
famous,,  appears  to  have  put  a  final  stop  to  all  intercourse' 
between  Pope  and  lady  Mary.  "  Irritated,"  says  her  late 
biographer,  "  by  Pope's  ceaseless  petulance,  and  disgusted 
by  his  subterfuge,  she  now  retired  totally  from  bis  society, 
and  certainly  did  not  abstain  from  sarcastic  observations* 
which  were  always  repeated. to  him"  The  angry  hard  re- 
taliated in  the  most  gross  and  public  manner  against  her 
*nd  her  friend  lord  Hervey.  Of  this  controversy,  which  is 
admirably  detailed  by  Mr.  Dallaway,  we  shall  only  add,, 
that  Dr.  Warton  and  Dr.  Johnson  agree  in  condemning  the 
prevarication  with  which  Pope  evaded,  every  direct  charge 
of  his  .ungrateful  behaviour  to  those  whose  patronage  he 
bad  once  servilely  solicited ;  and  even  bis  panegyrical  com- 
mentator, Dr.  Warburton,  confesses  that  there  were  alle- 
gations against  him,  which  "  he  was  not  quite  clear  of*."  , 
Lady  Mary,  however,  preserved  her  envied  rank  in  the 
world  of  fashion  and  ef  literature  until  1739,  when  her 
health  declining,  she  took  the  resolution  to  pass  the  re- 
mainder of  her  days  on  the  continent.  Having  obtained 
Mr.  Wortley's  consent,  she  left  England  in  the  month  of 
July,  and  hastened  to  Venice,  where  she  formed  many 

*  After  all  this  Pope  has  found  a  zealous  advocate  in  Mr.  Hayley.— See  bis 
"  Desultory  Remarks  on  the  Letters  of  Eminent  Persons,"  prefixed  to  his  edi- 
tion of  Cowper's  Works. 


MONTAGU.  *n 

connexions  with  the  noble  inhabitants,  and  determined  to 
establish  herself  in  the  north  of  Italy.  Having  been  gratis 
lied  by  a  short  tour  to  Rome  and  Naples,  she  returned  to- 
Brescia,  one  of  the  palaces  of  Which  city  she  inhabited, 
mid  also  spent  some  months  at  Avignon  and  Chamberry, 
Her  summer  residence  she  fixed  at  Louverre,  on  the  shores 
of  the  lake  of  Isco,  in  the  Venetian  territory,  whither  she 
had  been  first  invited  on  account  of  the  mineral  waters, 
which  she'  found  greatly  beneficial  to  her  health*  There 
she  took  possession  of  a  deserted  palace,  she  planned  her 
garden,  applied  herself  to  the  business  of  a  country  life, 
and  was  happy  in  the  superiatendance  of  her  vineyards 
and  silk-worms*  Books,  and  those  chiefly  English,  sent  by 
her  daughter  lady  Bute,  supplied  the  want  of  society. 
Her  visits  to  Genoa  and  Padua  were  not  un frequent,  but 
about  175$,  she  quitted  her  solitude,  and  settled  entirely 
at  Venice,  where  she  remained  till  the  death  of  Mr.  Wort- 
ley  in  1761.  She  then  yielded  to  the  solicitations  of  her 
daughter,  and  after  an  absence  of  twenty -jtwo  years,  she 
began  her  journey  to  England,  where  she  arrived  in  Oc- 
tober. But  her  health  had  suffered  much,  and  a  gradual 
decline  terminated  in  death,  on  the  21st  of  August,  1762, 
and  in  the  seventy -third  year  of  her  age. 

The  year  following  her  death,  appeared  "  Letters  of 

Lady  M y  W y  M ,"  in  3  vols.  12mo,  of  which 

publication  Mr.  Dallaway  has  given  a  very  curious  history. 
By  this  it  appears  that  after  lady  Mary  had  collected  copies 
of  the  letters  which  she  had  written  during  Mn  Wortley'a 
embassy,  she  transcribed  them  in  two  small  quarto  volumes, 
and  upon  her  return  to  England  in  1761,  gave  them  to  Mr. 
Sowden,  a  clergyman  at  Rotterdam,  to  be  disposed  of  as 
he  thought  proper.  After  her  death,  the  late  earl  of  Bute 
purchased  them  of  Mr.  Sowden,  but  they  were  scarcely 
landed  in  England  when  the  above  mentioned  edition  was. 
published.  On  farther  application  to  Mr.  Sowden,  it  could 
only  be  gathered  that  two  English  gentlemen  once  called 
on  him  to  see  the  letters,  and  contrived,  during  his  being 
called  away,  to  go  off  with  them,  although  they  returned  ' 
diem  next  morning  with  many  apologies.  Whoever  will 
look  at  the  three  12mo  volumes,  may  perceive  that  with 
tte  help  of  a  few  amanuenses,  there  was  sufficient  time <o 
transcribe  them  during  this  interval.  Cleland  was  the 
editor  of  the  publication,  and  probably  one  of  the  "  gea- 
tlemeu"  concerned  in  the  trick  of  obtaining  the  copies.      , 


272  HON  TAG  IK 

<  The  appearance  of  these  letters,  however,  excited  ant* 
verbal  attention,  nor  on  a  re-perusal  of  them  at.  this  in*** 
proved  period  of  fepiale  literature,  can  any  thing  he  de- 
ducted from  Dr.  Smollett's  opinion  in  the  "  Critical  Re- 
view,1* of  which  he  was  then  conductor*    "  The  publication 
of  these  letters  will  be  an  immortal  monument ^o  the  me- 
mory of  lady  M.  W.  M.  and-  will  shew,  as  long  as  the 
English  language  endures,  the  sprtghtliness  of  her  wit,  the. 
solidity  of  her  judgment,  the  elegance  of  her.  taste,;  and' 
the  excellence  of  her  real  character.     These  letters,  are  so* 
bewitchingly  entertaining,,  that  we  defy  the  most  phleg- 
matic man  on  earth  to  read  one  without  going  through  with 
them,  or  after  finishing  the  third  volume*  not  to  wish  there 
were  twenty  more  of  them."     Other  critics  were  not  -as* 
enraptured,  and  seemed  to  doubt  their  authenticity,  whirh, 
however,  is  now  placed  beyond,  all  question  by  the  follow?* , 
ing  publication,  "  The  Works  of  the  right  hon.  lady  M. 
W.  M.  including  her  correspondence,  poems,  and.  essays, 
published  by  permission  (of  the  Earl  of  Bute)  from  her 
genuine  papers,"  London,   l£03,.  5  vols.  12mo,  with  Me~ 
moirs  of  her  Life  by  Mr.  Dallaway,  drawn  up  with  much 
taste  and  delicacy,  and  to  which  we  are  indebted  for  the* 
preceding  sketch.     This  edition, /besides  her  poems,  and; 
a  few  miscellaneous*  essays,  contains  a  great  number  of 
letters  never  before  printed,  perhaps  of  equal  importance' 
with  those  which  have  long  been  before  the  world,  as  they 
appear  not  to  have  been  intended  for  publication,  which 
the  others  certainly  were,  and  we  have  in  these  new.  letter^' 
a  more  exact  delineation  of  her  character  in  advanced  life. 
This  if  it  be  not  always  pleasing,  will  afford  many  instruc- 
tive lessons.     Her  poetry,  without  being  of  the  superior 
kind,  is  yet  entitled  to  high  praise,  and  bad  she  cultivated 
/the  acquaintance  of  the  muses  with  more  earnestness,  and 
had  not  disdained  the  scrupulous  'labour  by  which  some 
df  her  contemporaries  acquired  fame,  it  is  probable  she 
might  have  attained  a  higher  rank.     She  certainly  was  * 
woman  of  extraordinary  talents,  atfd  acquired  the  honours* 
Of  literary  reputation  at  a  time  when  tbeyt'were  not  be* 
stowed  on  the  undeserving.     It  is,  however,  incumbent 
epon  us  to  add,  that  the  moral  tendency  of  her  letters  may 
be  justly  questioned  ;  many  of  the  descriptions  of  Eastern 
luxuries  and  beauty  are  such  as  cannot  be  tolerated  in  an 
age  x>f  decency,  and  a  prudent  guardian  will  hesitate  long 
before  be  can  admit  the  letters  from  Constantinople  among 


MONTAGU.  273 

books  fit  for  the  perusal  of  the  young.  Her  amiable  rela- 
tive, the  late  Mrs.  Montague,  represents  Lady  Mary  as" 
one  who  "neither  thinks,  speaks,  acts,  or  dresses  like  any 
body ;"  and  many  traits  of  her  moral  conduct  were  also,  it 
is  to  be  hoped,  exclusively  her  own. ' 

MONTAGUE  (Edward  Wortley),  only  son  of  the 
preceding  lady  Mary,  was  born  in  October  1713,  and  hi 
the  early  part  of  his  life  seems  to  have  been  the  object  of 
his  mother's  tenderest  regard,  though  he  afterwards  lost 
her  favour.  In  1716,  he  was  taken  by  her  on  his  father's 
embassy  to  Constantinople,  and  while  there,  was,  as  we 
have  noticed  in  her  life,  the  first  English  child  on  whom  the 
practice  of  inoculation  was  tried.  Returning  to  England 
with  his  parents  in  1719,  he  was  placed  at  Westminster-  , 
school,  where  he  gave  an  early  sample  of  his  wayward 
disposition,  by  running  away,  and  eluding  every  possible 
search,  until  about  a  year  after  he  was  accidentally  dis- 
covered at  Blackwall,  near  London,  in  the  character  of  a 
vender  of  fish,  a  basket  of  which  he  had  then  on  his  head. 
He  had  bound  himself,  by  regular  indenture,  to  a  poor 
fisherman,  who  said  he  had  served  him  faithfully,  making 
his  bargains-shrewdly,  and  paying  his  master  the  purchase- 
money  honestly.  He  was  now  again  placed  at  Westmin- 
ster-school, bat  in  a  short  time  escaped  a  second  time,  and 
bound  himself  to  the  master  of  a  vessel  which  sailed  for 
Oporto,  who,  supposing  him  a  deserted  friendless  boy, 
treated  him  with  great  kindness  and  humanity.  TJjjs  treat- 
ment, however,  produced  no  corresponding  feelings ;  for 
the  moment  they  landed  at  Oporto,  Montague  ran  away 
tip  the  country,  and  contrived  to  get  employment  for  two 
or  three  years  in  the  vintage.  Here  at  length  he  was  dis- 
covered, brought  home,  and  pardoned  ;  but  with  no  better 
effect  than  before*  He  ran  away  a  third  time ;  after  which 
his  father  procured  him  a  tutor,  who  made  him  so  far  re* 
gular  that  he  had  an  appointment  in  one  of  the  public  of- 
fices; and,  in  1747,  he  was  elected  one  of  the  knights  of 
the  shire  for  the  county  of  Huntingdon  ;  but  in  his  sena- 
torial capacity  he  does  not  appear  to  have  any  way  distin- 
guished himself;  nor  did  he  long  retain  his  seat,  his  ex-' 
polices  so  far  exceeding  his  income,  that  he  found  it  pru- 
dent once 'more  to  leave  England,  about  the  latter  end  of 
175 U    His  first  excursion  was  to  Paris,  where,  in  a  sbprt 

1  life  as  above. 

Vol.  XXII.  T 


I 


274  MONTAGUE, 

time,  be  was  imprisoned  in  the  Chatelet,  for  a  fraudulent 
gambling  transaction :  how  be  escaped  is  not  very  clear* 
but  he  published  a  defence  of  himself,  under  the  title  of 
"  Memorial  of  £.  W.  Montague,  esq.  written  by  himself, 
in  French,  and  published  lately  at  Paris,  against  Abraham. 
P&yba,  a  Jew  by  birth,  who  assumed  the  fictitious  name  of 
James  Roberts.  Translated  into  English  from  an  authen-* 
tick  copy  sent  from  Paris,"   1752,  8va. 

In  the  parliament  which  assembled  in  1754,  Mr.  Monta- 
gue was  returned  for  Bossiney  :  and  in  1759  he  published 
his  "  Reflections  on  the  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  ancient  Re-. 
publics,  adapted  to  the  present  state  of  Great  Britain," 
8vo.     This  work  contains  a  concise,  and  not  inelegant,  re- 
lation of  the  Grecian,  Roman,   and  Carthaginian  states, 
interspersed  with  occasional  allusions  to  his  own  country, 
the  constitution  of  which  he  appears  to  have  studied  with* 
care.     It  is  somewhat  singular  that  Mr.  Forster,  the  person 
whom  his  father  had  engaged  as  his  tutor,  endeavoured  to, 
claim  the  merit  of  this  work ;  but  not,  as  Mr.  Seward  re- 
marks, until  more  than  a  year  after  Mr.  Montague's  death, 
when  he  could  receive  no  contradiction. 

His  father  died  in  January  1761,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty,  and  by  his  will,  made  in   1755,    bequeathed 
to  his  son  an  annuity  of  one  thousand  pounds  a- year,  to 
be  paid  to  him  during  the  joint  lives  of  himself  and  his' 
mother  lady  Mary ;  and  after  her  death  an  annuity  of  two 
thousand  pounds  a- year,  during  the  joint  lives  of  himself 
and  bis  sister  lady  Bute.    By  the  same  will  he  empowered 
Mr.  Montague  to  make  a  settlement  on  any  woman  be 
might  marry,  not  exceeding  eight  hundred  pounds  a-year ;. 
and  to  any  son  of  such  marriage  he  devised  a  considerable* 
estate  in  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire*.    It  was  this  last; 
clause  which  gave  rise  to  a  story  that  he  had  advertised, 
for  a  wife,  promising  to  marry  *'  any  widow  or  single  lady, 
of  genteel  birth  and  polished  manners,  and  five,  six,  seven, 
ejc  eight  months  in  her  pregnancy.9'  Such  an  advertisement 
certainly  appeared,  but  not  sooner  than  1776,  within  a  few 
months  of  his  death,  and  when  he  was  abroad ;  all  which 
render  the  story  rather  improbable. 

His  mother  died  in  1762,  and  left  him  only  one  guinea* 
he  having  offended  her  irrecoucileably :  but  as  he  was 
now  independent  by  bis  father's  liberal  bequest,  he  pnce. 
more  took  leave  of  his  native  country,  ana  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  in  foreign  parts.     In  1762,  while  at 


M  O  N  T  A  O  U  ii  «#. 

Turin,  be  Wrote  two  letters  to  the  earl  of  Macclesfield, 
which  were  fead  at  the  Royal  Society,  and  afterwards  pub- 
lished in  a  quarto  pamphlet,    entitled,     "  Observations, 
upon  a  supposed  antique  bast  at  Turin."     In  the  Philoso- 
phical Transactions  are  also,  fay  him,  "  New  Observations 
on  Pompey's  Pillar,"  and  an  account  of  bis  journey  from 
Cairo  in  Egypt  to  the  Written  Mountains  in  the  desarta  of 
Sinai.     It  is  said  that  he  published  "  An  Explication  of  the 
Causes  of  Earthquakes ;"  bat  it  is  not  recollected  where. 
Hi*  travels  in  the  East  occupied  some  years,  and  in.  the 
course  of  them  he  first    abjured  the  protestant  for  the 
Roman  catholic  religion,  and  then  the  latter  for  Mahome- 
tanism,  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  which  he  performed 
with  a  punctuality  which  inclines  us  to  think  that  he  wa9 
in  some  degree  deranged.     He  died  at  length  at  Padua  in 
May  1776,  and  was  buried  under  a  plain  slab,  in  the  clois- 
ter of  the  Hermitants,  with  an  inscription  recording  his 
travels  and  his  talents.    The  latter  would  hare  done  honour 
to  any  character,  but  in  him  were  obscured  by  a  disposition 
which  it  would  be  more  natural  to  look  for  in  romance  than 
in  real  life. l 

MONTAGUE  (Elizabeth),  a  learned  and  ingenious 
English  lady,  was  the  daughter  of  Matthew  Robinson,  esq* 
of  West  Layton,  in  Yorkshire,  of  Coveney,  Cambridge- 
shire, and  of  Mount  Morris  in  Kent,,  by  Elizabeth  daugh- 
ter and  heiress  of  Robert  Drake,  esq. .  She  was  born  at. 
York,  Oct.  2,  1720,  but  lived,  for  some  of  her  early  years, 
with  her  parents  at  Cambridge,  where  she  derived  great 
assistance  in  her  education  from  Dr.  Conyers  Middleton, 
whom  her  grandmother  had  taken  as  a  second  husband.' 
Her  uncommon  sensibility  and  acutencss  of  understanding, 
as  welt  as  her  extraordinary  beauty  as  a  child,  rendered 
her  an  object  of  great  notice  and  admiration  in  the  uni* 
versity,  and  Dr.  Middleton  was  in  the  habit  of  requiring 
from  her  an  account  of  the  learned  conversations  at  which, 
in  his  society,  she  was  frequently  present :  not  admitting 
of  die  excuse  of  her  tender  age  as  a  disqualification,  but 
insisting,  that  although  at  the  present  time  she  could  but 
imperfectly  understand  their  meaning,  she  would  in  future 
derive  great  benefit  from  the  habit  of  attention  inculcated 
by  this  practice.     Her  father,  a  man  of  considerable  inteU 

i  See  many  adtfitioaat  particulars*  adventures,  and  eccentricities  of  this  sin- 
gular character,  in  Mr.  Nichols's  History  «f  Leicestershire  and  Life  of  Bowyer, 


S78  MONTAIGNE. 

MONTAIGNE,  or  MONTAGNE  (Michael  m),  an 
Eminent  French  writer,  was  born  at  the  cattle  of  Mont- 
aigne, in  tbe  Perigord,  Feb.  8,  1533.  His  father,  seigneur 
of  Montaigne,  and  mayor  of  Bourdeaux,  bellowed  particu- 
lar attention  on  his  education,  perceiving  in  him  early 
.proofs  ef  talents  that  would  one  day  reward  his  care.  His 
mode  of  teaching  him  languages  is  mentioned  as  somewhat 
singular  at  that  time,  although  it  has  since  been  frequently 
practised.  He  provided  him  with  a  German  attendant, 
who  did  not  know  French,  and  who  was  enjoined  to  speak 
to  him  in  Latin,  and  in  consequence  young  Montaigne  is 
said  to  have  been  a  master  of  that  language  at  the  age  of 
six  years.  He  was  taught  Greek  also  as  a  sort  of  diversion, 
and  because  his  father  had  heard  that  the  brains  of  children 
may  be  injured  by  feeing  roused  too  suddenly  out  of  sleep, 
he  caused  him  to  be  awakened  every  morning  by  soft  musk. 
All  this  care  he  repaid  by  tbe  most  tender  veneration  for 
tbe  memory  of  his  father.  Filial  piety,  indeed,  is  said  to 
have  been  one  of  the  most  remarkable  traits  of  his  cha- 
racter, and  he  sometimes  displayed  it  rather  in  a  singular 
manner.  When  on  horseback  he  constantly  wore  a  cleric 
•which  had  belonged  to  his  father,  riot,  as  he  said,  for  con- 
venience, but  for  the  pleasure  vt  gave  him.  "  II  me  semble 
in'envelopper  de  lui," — "  I  seem  to  be  wrapped  up  in  my 
father;"  and  this,  which  from  any  other  wit  would  have 
been  called  the  personification  ef  a  pom,  was  considered  in 
Montaigne  as  a  sublime  expression  of  ,fi Hal  piety. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  had  finished  bts  courie  of 
studies,  which  be  began  at  tbe  college  of  Bourdeaux,  un- 
der Crouehy,  the  celebrated  Buchanan,  and  Muret,  all 
learned  and  eminent  teachers,  and  bis  progress  bore  pro- 
portion to  tbeir  care.  Being  designed  fipr  the  bar  by  his 
father,  he  married  the  daughter  of  a  counsellor  of  parlia- 
ment at  Bourdeaux,  when  in  his  thirty-third  year,  and  fojr 
some  time  himself  sustained  that  character,  but  afterwards 
abandoned  a  profession  to  which  he  probably  was  never 
cordially  attached.  His  favourite  study  was  that  of  humjin 
nature,  to  pursue  which  he  travelled  through  various  parts 
of  France,  Germany,  Swisserland,  and  Italy,  making  his 
observations  on  every  thing  curious  or  interesting  in  so- 
ciety, and  receiving  many  marks  of  distinction.  At  Rome, 
in  1581,  he  was  admitted  a  citizen ;  and  tbe  same  year  he 
was  chosen  mayor  of  Bourdeaux,  and  in  this  office  gave 
such  satisfaction  to  his  fellow-citizens,  that  in  1582  they 


MONTAIGNE.  I 


79 


Employed  him  ia  a  special  mission  to  court  on  important 
affairs,  and  after  his  mayoralty  expired,  they  again  elected 
him  into  the  same  office.  In  1538  he  appeared  to  advan- 
tage at  the  assembly  of  the  states  of  Blois,  and  although 
not  a  deputy,  took  a  share  in  their  proceedings  and  cabals. 
During  one  of  his  visits  at  court,  Charles  IX?  decorated 
him  with  the  collar  of  the  order  of  St.  Michael,  without 
any  solicitation,  which,  when  young,  he  is  said  to  have 
coveted  above  all  thipgs,  it  being  at  that  time  the  highest 
mark  of  honour  among  the  French  nobility,  and  rarely 
bestowed. 

Returning  afterwards  to  his  family  residence,  he  devoted 
himself  to  study,  from  which  he  suffered  some  disturbance 
during  the  civil  wars.  On  one  occasion  a  stranger  pre- 
sented himself  at  the  entrance  of  his  house,  pretending 
that  while  travelling  with  his  friends,  a  troop  of  soldiers 
had  attacked  their  party,  taken  away  their  baggage,  killed 
all  who  made  resistance,  and  dispersed  the  rest.  Mon? 
taigne,  unsuspectingly,  admitted  this  man,  who  was  the 
chief  of  a  gang,  and  wanted  admittance  only  to  plunder 
the  house.  In  a  few  minutes  two  or  three  more  arrived, 
whom  the  first  declared  to,  be  his  friends  that  had  made 
their  escape,  and  Montaigne  compassionately  made  them 
welcome.  Soon  after,  however,  he  perceived  the  court 
of  his  chateau  filled  with  more  of  the  party,  whose  beha- 
viour left  him  in  no  doubt  as  to  their  intentions.  Mon- 
taigne preserved  his  countenance  unaltered,  and  ordered 
them  every  refreshment  the  place  afforded,  and  presented 
this  with  so  much  kindness  and  politeness,  that  the  cap- 
tain of  the  troop  had  not  the  courage  to  give  the  signal 
for  pillage. 

In  bis  old  age  Montaigne  was  much  afflicted  with  the 
stone  and  nephritic  colic,  but  could  never  be  prevailed 
upon  to  take  medicines,  in  which  he  never  had  any  faith. 
The  physicians,  he  used  to  say,  "  know  Galen,  but  they 
know  nothing  of  a  sick  person  ;"  and  such  was  his  confi- 
dence in  the  powers  of  nature,  that  be  refused  even  a 
common  purgative,  when  the  indication  was  plain.  He 
died  Sept.  15,  1592,  in  his  sixtieth  year. 

His  reputation  is  founded  on  his  "  Essays,"  which  Were 
at  one  time  extremely  popular,  and  which  are  still  read 
with  pleasure  by  a  numerous  class  of  persons.  La  Harpe 
says  of  him,  "  As  a  writer,  he  has  impressed  on  our  lan- 
guage (the  French)  an  energy  which  it  did  not  before  pos? 


tsd  MONTAIGNE. 

sess,  and  which  has  not  become  antiquated,  because  it  is 
that  of  sentiments  and  ideas.     As  a  philosopher  he  has 

Sainted  man  as  he  is  ;  he  praises  without  compliment,  and 
lames  without  misanthropy."     In  1774  was  published  at 
Rome  (Paris),  "  Memoirs  of  a  Journey  into  Italy,"  &c.  by 
Montaigne,  the  editor  of  which  has  given  us  a  few  les» 
known  particulars  of  the  author.     He  says  that  "  with  a 
large  share  of  natural  vivacity,  passion,,  and  spirit,  Mon- 
taigne's life  was  far  from  being  that  of  a  sedentary  con- 
tern  platist,  as  those  may  be  inclined  to  think,  who  view 
him  only  in  the  sphere  of  his  library  and  in  the  composition 
of  his  essays.     His  early  years  by  no  means  passed  in  the 
arms  of  leisure.     The  troubles  and  commotions  whereof 
be  had  been  an  eye-witness  during  five  reigns,  which  he 
had  seen  pass  successively  before  that  of  Henry  IV.  had 
not  in  any  degree  contributed  to  relax  that  natural  activity 
and  restlessness  of  spirit.     They  had  been  sufficient  to  call 
it  forth  even  from  indolence  itself.     He  had  travelled  a 
good  deal  in  France,  and  what  frequently  answers  a  better 
purpose  than  any  kind  of  travel,  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  metropolis,  and  knew  the  court.     We  see  his  at- 
tachment to  Paris  in  the  third  book  of  his  Essays.   Thuanus 
likewise  observes,  that  Montaigne  was  equally  successful 
in  making  his  court  to  the  famous  duke  of  Guise,  Henry  of 
Lorraine,  and  to  the  king  of  Navarre,  afterwards  Henry 
IV.  king  of  France.     He  adds,  that  he  was  at  his  estate  at 
Blois  when  the  duke  of  Guise  was  assassinated,  1558.  Mon- 
taigne foresaw,  says  he,  that  the  troubles  of  the  natioti 
would  only  end  with  the  life  of  that  prince,  or  of  the  king 
of  Navarre ;  and  this  instance  we  have  of  his  political  sa- 
gacity.    He  was  so  well  acquainted  with  the  character  and 
disposition  of  those  princes,  so  well  read  in  their  hearts 
and  sentiments,  that  he  told  his  friend  Thuanus,  the  king 
of  Navarre  would  certainly  have  returned  to  the  religion  of 
bis  ancestors  (that  of  the  Romish  communion)  if  he  had 
not  been  apprehensive  of  being  abandoned  by  his  party. 
Montaigne,  in  short,  had  talents  for  public  business  and 
negotiation,  but  his  philosophy  kept  him  at  a  distance 
*  from  political  disturbances ;  and  he  had  the  address  to  con- 
duct himself  without  offence  to  the  contending  parties,  in 
the  worst  of  times*" 

More  recently,  in  1 799,  his  memory  has  been  revived 
in  France  by  an  extravagant  eloge  from  the  pen  of  a 
French  lady,  Henrietta  Bourdic-viot,  who  assures  us  that 


MONTAIGNE.  281 

<-«  it  was  in  the  works  of  Montaigne  that  she  acquired  the 
knowledge  of  her  duties."  But  we  rather  incline  to  the 
more  judicious  character  given  of  this  author  by  Dr.  Jo- 
seph Warton.  "  That  Montaigne,"  says  this  excellent 
critic,  "  abounds  in  native  wit,  in  quick  penetration,  in 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  and  the  various 
vanities  and  vices  that  lurk  in  it,  cannot  justly  be  denied. 
JBpt  a  man  who  undertakes  to  transmit  his  thoughts  on  life 
and  manners  to  posterity,  with  the  hope  of  entertaining 
and  amending  future  ages,  must  be  either  exceedingly 
vain  or  exceedingly  careless,  if  he  expects  either  of  these 
effects  can  be  produced  by  wanton  sallies  of  the  imagina- 
tion, by  useless  and.  impertinent  digressions,  by  never 
forming  or  following  any  regular  plan,  never  classing  or 
confining,  his  thoughts,  never  changing  or  rejecting  any 
sentiment  that  occurs  to  him*  Yet  this  appears  to  have 
been  the  conduct  of  our  celebrated  essayist ;  and  it  has 
produced  m$ny  awkward  imitators,  who,  under  the  notion 
of  writing  with  the  fire  and  freedom  of  this  lively  old  Gas* 
con,  have  fallen  into  confused  rhapsodies*  and  uninterest- 
ing egotisms.  But  these  blemishes  of  Montaigne  are  tri- 
fling and  unimportant,  compared  with  his  vanity,  his  inde- 
cency, and  his  scepticism.  That  man  must  totally  have 
suppressed  the  natural  love  of  houest  reputation,  which  is 
so  powerfully  felt  by  the  truly  wise  and  good,  who  can 
calmly  sit  down  to  give  a  catalogue  of  his  private  vices, 
publish  his  most  secret  infirmities,  with  the  pretence  of 
exhibiting  a  faithful  picture  of  himself,  and  of  exactly 
pburtraying  the  minutest  features  of  his  mind.  Surely  he 
deserves  the  censure  Quintilian  bestows  on  Demetrius,  a 
celebrated  Grecian  statuary,  that  he  was  nimius  inveritate, 
et  similitudinis  quam  pulchritudims  amantior ;  more  stu- 
dious of  likeness  than  of  beauty." 

The  first  edition  of  Montaigne's  Essays  was  published 
by  himself  in  1580,  8vo,  in  two  books  only,  which  were 
augmented  afterwards  to  the  present  number.  Of  the 
subsequent  editions,  those  by  P.  Coste  are  reckoned  the 
best,  and  of  these,  Tonson's  edition,  1724,  in  3  vols.  4to, 
is  praised  by  the  French  bibliographers,  as  the  most  beau- 
tiful that  has  ever  appeared.  We  have  also  two  English 
translations.  Montaigne's  iife  was  first  written  by  the 
president  Bouhier,  and  prefixed  to  a  supplementary  vo- 
lume of  his  works  in  1740.  Montaigne  appeared  once  as 
the  editor  of  some  of  the  works  of  Stephen  de  la  Boetie,  in 


£S2  M  0  N  T  A  J  G  N  £ 

1571 ;  at)d  ten  ydws  afterwards  translated  the  **  Natural 
Theologie"  of  Raimond  de  Sebonda,  a  learned  Spaniard, 
and  prefixed  prefaces  to  both. 1 

MONTALEMBERT  (Mark  Rene  de),  senior  membet 
of  the  academy  of  sciences  of  France,  was  born  July  16, 
1714.,  at  Angouleme.  His  family  bad  been  a  long  time  ren* 
dered  illustrious  in  arms  by  Andr6  De  Montalembert,  count 
d'£ss£,  lieutenant-general  to  the  king,  commander  of  his 
jinnies  in  Scotland,  governor  -of  Terouane  near  St.  Omers, 
and  wbo  died  oh  the  breach,  the  12th  of  June  1553.  In 
3739  the  young  Montalembert  entered  into  the  army,  and 
distinguished  himself  at  the  sieges  of  Kehl  and  Philipsburg 
in  1736.  He  was  afterwards  captain  of  the  guards  to  the 
prince  of  Conti.  In  peace  be  studied  the  mathematics  and 
natural  philosophy :  he  read  a  memoir  to  the  academy  of 
aciences,  upon  the  evaporation  of  the  water  in  the  salt 
works  at  Turcheim,  in  the  palatinate,  which  he  had  exa- 
mined, and  was  made  a  member  in  1747.  There  are  in 
the  volumes  in  the  academy  some  memoirs  from  him  upon 
the  rotation  of  bullets,  upon  the  substitution  of  stoves  for 
fire-places,  and  upon  a  pobl,  in  which  were  found  pike 
purblind,  and  others  wholly  without  sight.  From  1750to 
17*55  he  established  the  forges  at  Angoumois  and  Perigord, 
and  there  founded  cannon  for  the  navy.  In  1777  three 
volumes  were  printed  of  the  correspondence  which  he  held 
with  the  generals  and  ministers,  whilst  he  was  employed 
by  his  country  in  the  Swedish  and  Russian  armies  during 
the  campaigns  erf  1757  and  1761,  and  afterwards  in  Bri* 
tanny  and  the  isle  of  Olerou,  when  fortifying  it.  He  for* 
lifted  also  Stralsund,  in  Pomerania,  against  the  Prussian 
troops,  and  gave  an  account  to  his  court  of  the  military 
-operations  in  which  it  was  concerned ;  and  this  in  a  maru 
ner  which  renders  it  an  interesting  part  of  the  History  of 
ithe  Seveii*years  War.  In  1776  he  printed  the  first  volume 
of  an  immense  work  upon  Perpendicular  Fortification,  ami 
the  art  of  Defence ;  demonstrating  the  inconveniences  of 
the  old  system,  for  which  he  substitutes  that  of  casemates, 
>which  admit  of  such  a  kind  of  firing,  that  a  place  fortified 
-after  his  manner  appears  to  be  impregnable.  His  system 
lias  been,  however,  not  always  approved  or  adopted.  His 
treatise  was  extended  to  teir  volumes  in  quarto,    with  a 

-great  number  of  plates;  the  last  volume  was  published 

.•  ■  • 

(  t      »  |loreri.«— Nic«r?B>  vol.  XVI,— Adventurer,  No.  49.— Pict,  Hist. 


MONTALEMBERT..  S83 

in  1792,  and  will  doubtless  carry  bis  name  to  posterity 
wan  author  as  well  as  a  general.  He  married,  in  1770, 
Marie  de  Comarieu,  who  was  an  actress,  and  the  owner  of 
a  theatre,  for  whom  the  general  sometimes  composed  a 
dramatic  piece.  In  1764  and  1786  he  printed  three  ope* 
rattcal  pieces,  set  to  music  by  Cambini  and  Tomeont :  they 
were,  "  La  Statue,"  "  La  Bergdre  qualitA,"  and  "  La 
Boh6mienfie."  Alarmed  at  the  progress  of  the  revolution, 
he  repaired  to  England  in  1789  or  1790,  and  leaving  fails 
wife  there,  procured  a  divorce,  and  afterwards  married*  Ro*» 
ealie  Louise  Cadet,  to  whom  he  was  under  great  obliga* 
tion  during  the  Robespierrian  terror,  and  by  whom  he  had  a 
daughter  born  in  July  1796.  In  his  memoir  published  in 
•1790,  it  may  be  seen  that  he  had  been  arbitrarily  dis- 
possessed of  his  iron  forges,  and  that  having  a  claim  for 
«ix  millions  of  livres  due  to  him,  he  was  reduced  to  a  pent- 
ston,  but  ill  paid,  and  was  at  last  obliged  to  sell  his  estate 
at  Maumer,  in  Angoumois,  for  which  he  was  paid  in  a*- 
«igna*s,  and  which  were  insufficient  to  take  htm  out'  of 
that  distress  which  accompanied  him  throughout  his  life. 
He  was  sometimes  almost  disposed  to  put  an  end  to  his 
existence,  but  had  the  courage  to  resume  his  former 
studies,  and  engaged  a  person  to  assist  him  in  cbmpleat- 
ing  some  new 'models.  His  last  public  appearance  was  in 
the  institute,  where  be  read  a  new  memoir  upon  the  mount- 
ings (affect)  of  -ship-guns.  On  this  occasion  he  was  re- 
ceived with  veneration  by  the  society,  and  attended  to 
with  religious  silence :  a  man  of  eighty-six  years  of  age 
bad  never  been  heard  to  read  with  so  strong  a  voice.  His 
memoir  was  thought  of  so  much  importance,  that  the  in- 
stitute wrote  to  the  minister  of  marine,  who  sent  orders  to 
Brest  for  the  adoption  of  the  suggested  change.  He  was 
upon  the  list  for  a  place  in  the  institute,  and  was  even  pro- 
posed as  the  first  member  for  the  section  of  mechanics,  but 
learning  that  Bonaparte  was  spoken  of  for  the  institute,  be 
'wrote  a  letter,  in  which  he  expressed  bis  desire  to  see  the 
young  conqueror  of  Italy  honoured  with  this  new  crowns 
His  strength  of  mind  he  possessed  to  the  last,  for  not  above 
a  month  before  his  death  he  wrote  reflections  upon  the 
siege  of  St.  John  d'Acre,  which  contained  further  prooft 
of  the  solidity  of  his  defensive  system,  but  at  last  be  fell  ill 
of  a  catarrh,  which  degenerated  into  a  dropsy,  and  carried 

iiim  off  March  22,  1602. ' 

«...  <  »         • «      i 

\  Diet  Hist. — Biographie  Mode  rue. 


284  MONTANUS. 

MONTANUS,  an  ancient  heresiarch  among  tbe  Chris- 
tiaos,  founded  a  new  sect  in  tbe  second  century  of  tbe 
church,  whicb  were  called  Montanists.  They  bad  also  tbe 
name  of  Phrygians  and  Catapbrygians,  because  Montanus 
was  either  born,  or  at  least  first  known,  at  Ardaba,  a  vil- 
lage :  of  My  si  a,  which  was  situated  upon  tbe  borders  of 
Phrygia.  Here  he  set  up  for  ?  prophet,  although  it  seems 
he  had  but  lately  embraced  Christianity :  bat  it  is  said  that 
he  had  .an  immoderate  desire  to  obtain  a  first  place  in  tbe 
church,  and  that  be  thought  this  tbe  most  likely  means  of 
raising  himself.  In  this  assumed  character  he  affected  to 
appear  inspired  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  to  be  seized  and 
agitated  with  divine  ecstacies;  and,  under  these  disguises 
he  uttered  prophecies,  in  which  he  laid  down  doctrines, 
and  established  rites  and  ceremonies,  entirely  new.  This 
wild  behaviour  was  attended  with  its  natural  consequences 
and  effects  upon  tbe  multitude  ;  some  affirming  bim  to  be 
a  true  prophet ;  others,  that  be  was  possessed  with  an  evil 
spirit.  To  carry  on  his  delusion  the  better,  Montanus 
associated  to  himself  Priscilla  aud  Maxim  ilia,  two  wealthy 
ladies,  who  acted  the  part  "  of  prophetesses  ;"  and,  <(  by 
the  power  of  whose  gold,"  as  Jerome  tells  us,  "  he  first 
seduced  many  churches,  and  then  corrupted  them  with 
his  abominable  errors."  He  seems  to  have  made  Pepuza, 
a  town  in  Phrygia,  tbe  place  of  his  first  residence ;  and  be 
artfully  called  it  Jerusalem,  because  he  knew  the  charrt 
there  was  in  that  name,  and  what  a  powerful  temptation  it 
would  be  in  drawing  from  all  parts  tbe  weaker  and  more 
credulous  Christians.  Here  he  employed  himself  in  de- 
livering obscure  and  enigmatical  sayings,  under  the  name 
of  prophecies ;  and  made  no  small  advantage  of-  his  fol- 
lowers, who  brought  great  sums  of  money  and  valuable 
presents,  by  way  of  offerings.  Some  of  these  prophecies 
of  Montanus  and  his  women  are  preserved  by  Epiphanius, 
in  which  they  affected  to  consider  themselves  only  as  mere 
machines  and  organs,  through  which  God  spake  unto  his 
people. 

The  peculiarities  of  this  sect  of  Christians  are  explicitly 
set  forth  by  St.  Jerome.  They  are  said  to  have  been  very 
heterodox  in  regard  to  tbe  Trinity ;  inclining  to  Sabellian- 
jsro,  "  by  crowding,"  as  Jerome  expresses  it,  "  tbe  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  into  the  narrow  limits  of  one  per- 
son." Epiphanius,  however,  contradicts  this,  and  affirms 
them  to  have  agreed  with  the  church  in  the  doctrine  of  tbe 


M  O  N  T  A  N  tr  3:  2ts 

* 

Trinity.    The  Montanists  held  all  second  marriages  to  tie 
unlawful,  asserting  that  although   the  apostle  Paul  per- 
mitted them,  it  was  because  he  "  only  knew  in  part,  and 
prophesied  in  part;1'  but  that,  since  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
been  poured  upon  Montanus  and  bis  prophetesses,  they 
were  not  to  be  permitted  any  longer.     But  the  capital 
doctrines  of  the  Montanists  are  these  :  "  God,"  they  &ay,. 
"  was  first  pleased  to  save  the  world,  under  the  Old  Testa--, 
ment,  from  eternal  damnation  by  Moses  and  the  prophets. 
When  these  agents  proved  ineffectual,  he  assumed  flesh 
and  blood  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  died  for  us  in  Christ, 
under  the  person  of  the.  Son.     When  the  salvation  of  the 
world  was  not  effected  yet,  he  descended  lastly  upon  Mon- 
tanus, Priscilla,  and  Maximilla,  into  whom  he  infused  that 
fulness  of  bis  Holy  Spirit,  which  had  not  been  vouchsafed 
to  the  apostle  Paul ;  for,  Paul  only  knew  in  part,  and  pro- 
phesied in  part."  These  doctrines  gained  ground  very  fast; 
and  Montanus  soon  found  himself  surrounded  with  a  tribe  of 
people,  who  would  probably  have  been  ready  to  acknow- 
ledge bis  pretensions,  if  they  had  been  higher.     To  add  to 
his  influence  over  their  minds,  he  observed  a  wonderful 
strictness  and  severity  of  discipline,  was  a  man  of  moni-- 
fication,  and  of  an  apparently  most  sanctified  spirit.     He 
disclaimed  all  innovations  in  the  grand  articles  of  faith; 
and  only  pretended  to  perfect  what  was  left  unfinished  by 
the  saints.     By  these  means  he  supported  for  a  long  time 
the  character  of  a  most  holy,  mortified,  and  divine  person* 
and  the  world  became  much  interested  in  the  visions  and 
prophecies  of  him  and  bis  two  damsels  Priscilla  and  Maxi- 
milla; and  thus  the  face  of  severity  and  saintship  conse- 
crated their  reveries,  and  made  real  possession  pass  for 
inspiration.     Several  good  men  immediately  embraced  the 
delusion,   particularly  Tertullian,  Alcibiades,  and  Theo- 
dotus,  who,  however,, did  not  wholly  approve  of  Montanus'$ 
extravagancies ;  but  the  churches  of  Phrygia,  and  after- 
Wards  other  churches,  grew  divided  upon  the  account  of 
these  new  revelations;  and,  for  some  time,  even  the  bishop 
of  Rome  cherished  the  imposture.     Of  the  time  or  manner 
of  Montanus's  death  we  have  no  certain  account.     It  has 
been  asserted,  but  without  proof,  that  he  and  his  coad- 
jutress  Maximilla  were  suicides. 1 

I  Moaheim.— Cave,  ?J«  *•— ■  Marcher's  Works. 


2M'  MONTANUS.: 

•  MONT  ANUS  (Benedict  Alius),  a  very  learned  Spa- 
niard, was  born  at  Frexenel,  in  Estremadura,  in  15%7t  and 
was  the  son  of  a  notary.     He  studied  in  the  university  of 
Atcala,  where  he  made  great  proficiency  in  the  learned 
languages.     Having  taken  the  habit  of  the  Benedictines* 
be  accompanied,  in  1562,  the  bishop  of  Segovia  to  the 
council  of  Trent,  where  he  first  laid  the  foundation  of  hns 
celebrity.     On  bis  return  to  Spain,  be  retired  to  a  hermit* 
age  situated  on  the  top  of  a  rock,  near  Aracena,  where  it: 
was  his  intention  to  have  devoted  his  life  to  meditation,  hot 
Philip  II.  persuaded  him  to  leave  this  retreat,  and  become 
editor  of  a  new  Polyglot,  which   was   to   be   printed  by 
Christopher  Plantin  at  Antwerp.     On  this  employment  he 
spent  four  years,  from   1568  to  1572,  and  accomplished 
this  great  work  in  8  volumes  folio.  The  types  were  cast  by 
the  celebrated  William  Lebe,  whom  Plantin  bad  invited 
from  Paris  for  this  purpose.     This  Polyglot,  besides  what 
is  given  in  the  Alcala  Bible,  contains  the  Chaldaic  para- 
phrases, a  Syriac  version  of  the  New  Testament,  in  Sy- 
riac  and  Hebrew  characters,  with  a  Latin  translation,  &e. 
While  Montanus  was  beginning  to  enjoy  the  reputation  to 
which*  his  labours  in  this  work  so  well  entitled  him,  Leo  de 
Castro,  professor  of  oriental  languages  at  Salamanca,  ac- 
cused him  before  the  inquisitions  of  Rome  and  Spain,  as 
having  altered  the  text  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  and  con- 
firmed the  prejudices  of  the  Jews  by  his  Chaldaic  para- 
phrases.    In  consequence  of  this,  Montanus  was  obliged  to 
take  several  journies  to  Rome,  to  justify  himself,  which  be 
did  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner.     Being  thus  restored, 
Philip  II.  offered  him  a  bishopric ;  but  he  preferred  his 
former  retirement  in  the  hermitage  at  Aracena,  where  he 
hoped  to  finish  his  days.     There  he  constructed  a  winter 
and  a  summer  habitation,  and  laid  out  a  pleasant  garden, 
&c. ;  but  had  scarcely  accomplished  these  comforts,  when 
Philip  II.  again  solicited  him  to  return  to  the  world,  and 
accept  the  office  of  librarian  to  the  Esemrial,  and  teach  the 
oriental  languages.     At  length  be  was  permitted  to  retire 
to  Seville,  where  he  died  in  1598,  aged  seventy-one. 

Arias  was  one  of  the  most  learned  divines  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  He  was  a  master  of  the  Hebrew,  Chaldaic,  Sy- 
riac, Arabic,  and  Greek  and  Latin  languages,  and  spoke 
fluently  in  German,  French,  and  Portuguese.  He  was 
sober,  modest,  pious,  and  indefatigable.  His  company  was 
sought  by  the  learned,  the  great,  and  the  pious ;  and  his 


M  O  N  T  A  N  V  9<  $8* 

conversation  was  always  edifying:  Besides  the  Antwerp 
Polyglot,  he  was  the  author  of,  1.  "  Index  correctoriut 
Lib.  Theologicorum,  Catholici  regis  authoritate  editus," 
Antwerp,  1571,  4to,  2.  "  Coalmen taria  in  duodecim  puo- 
phetas  nainores,"  ibid.  1571,  4 to;  reprinted  15S2.  3,  "Elu- 
cidationes  in  quatuor  Evangel i a  &  in  Act.  Apost."  ibid*  1 57£*, 
4to.  4.  "  Elucidationes  in  omnia  JS.  S.  apostolorum  script*, 
&c?  ibid.  1588,  4 to.  5.  "  De  optimo  imperio,  sive  in  Li* 
bruin  Josue  commentarius,"  ibid.  1583,  6.  "  De  varia  Re- 
publica,  sive  Comment,  in  librum  Judicum,"  ibid.  1592, 
4to.  7.  "  Antiquitatum  Judaicarum,  lib.  novem,"  Leydery 
1593.  8.  "  Liber  generationis  et  regenerationis  Adas** 
sive  historia  generis  bumani,"  Antwerp,  1593,  4to;  a  se- 
cond part  in  1601.  9.  "Davidis,  aliorumque  Psalnai  ex 
Heb.  in  Lat.  carmen  conversi,"  ibid.  1574,  4to.  10.  "  Cooa- 
mentarii  in  triginta  priores  Psalmos,"  ibid.  1605:  with  a. 
few  other  works  enumerated  by  Antonio  and  Niceron,1 

MONTANUS,  or  DA  MONTE  (John  Baptist),  was  aa 
Italian  physician  of  so  much  reputation,  that  he  was  re*, 
garded  by  his  countrymen  as  a  second  Galen.  He  was, 
born  at  Verona  in  1488,  of  the  noble  family  of  Monte  in 
Tuscany,  and  sent  to  Padua  by  his  father,  to  study  the 
civil  law.  But  his  bent  lay  towards  physic ;  which,  how- 
ever, though  he  made  a  vast  progress  in  it,  so  displeased  his . 
father,  that  he  entirely  withdrew  from  him  all  support.  He 
therefore  travelled  abroad,  and  practised  physic  in  several 
cities  with  success,  and  increased  his  reputation  among  the 
learned,  as  an  orator  and  poet.  He  lived  some  time  at  Rome, 
with  cardinal  Hyppolitus ;  then  removed  to  Venice ;  whence, 
having  in  a  short  time  procured  a  competency,  he  retired 
to  Padua.  Here,  within  two  years  after  his  arrival,  he  was 
preferred  by  the  senate  to  the  professor's  chair ;  and  he 
was  so  attached  to  the  republic,  which  was  always  kind  to 
him*  that,  though  tempted  with  liberal  offers  from  .the  em- 
peror, Charles  V.  Francis  I.  of  France,  and  Cosmo  duke 
of  Tuscany,  he  retained  his  situation.  He  was  greatly  af- 
flicted with  the  stone  in  his  latter  days,  and  died  in  155  K 
He  was  the  author  of  many  works;  part  of  which  were 
published  by  himself,  and  part  by  his  pupil  John  Crato 
after  his  death.  They  were,  however,  principally  comments 
upon  the  ancients,  and  illustrations  of  their  theories ;  and 

*  Antonio  Bibl.  Hisp. — Biog.  Universale  iri  Arias. — Dupio. — Niceron,  to?. 
XXVIII Foppen  Bibl,  Belf .— Saxii  Onomasticon. 


288  MONf  ANUS.    ' 

hare  therefore  ceased  to  be  of  importance,  since  the  ori-v 
ginals  have  lost  their  value.  He  translated  into  Latin  the 
works  of  A€tius,  which  he  published  at  the  desire  of  car- 
dinal Hyppolitus.  He  also  translated  into  Latin  verse  the 
poem  of  Museus;  and  made  translations  of  the  Argonautics 
attributed  to  Orpheus,  and  of  Lucian's  Tragopodagra.1 

MONTBELIARD  (Philibert-Gueneau),  a  French  na- 
turalist,' was  born  in  1720,  at  Semur,  in  Auxois.  He  spent' 
the  early  part  of  bis  youth  at  Dijon,  and  afterwards  came 
to  Paris,  where  he  made  himself  known  as  a  man  of  science. 
He  continued  with  reputation,  the  "  Collection  Acade- 
roique,"  a  periodical  work,  which  gave  a  view  of  every; 
thing  interesting  contained  in  the  "  Memoirs"  of  the  dif- 
ferent learned  societies  in  Europe.  He  was  chosen  by 
Buffon  to  be  his  associate  in  bis  great  work  on  natural  hisr 
tory,  and  the  continuation  of  bis  ornithology  was  com- 
mitted to  him.  He  is  described  by  Buffon,  "  as  of  all 
men,  the  person  whose  manner  of  seeing,  judging,  and 
writing,  was  most  conformable  to  his  own."  When  the 
class  of  birds  was  finished,  Montbeliard  undertook  that  of 
insects,  relative  to  which  he  had  already  furnished  several 
articles  to  the  New  Encyclopedia,  but  bis  progress  was  ' 
cut  short  by  his  death,  which  took  place  at  Semur,  Nov.  2S, 
1785.* 

MONTE.  *  See  MONTANUS. 

MONTECUCULI  (Raymond  de),  a  very  celebrated 
Austrian  general,  was  born  in  1608,  of  a  distinguished  fa- 
mily in  the  Modenese*  Ernest  Montecuculi,  his  uncle, 
who  was  general  of  artillery  in  the  imperial  troops,  made 
bim  pass  through  all  the  military  ranks,  before  he  was 
raised  to  that  of  commander.  The  young  man's  first  ex- ' 
ploit  was  in  1634,  when  at  the  head  of  2000  horse,  he  Sur- 
prised 10,000  Swedes  who  were  besieging  Nemeslaw,  in 
Silesia,  and  took  their  baggage  and  artillery;  but  he  was 
shortly  after  defeated  and  made  prisoner  by  general  Ban- 
nier.  Having  obtained  his  liberty  at  the  end  of  two  yearis, a 
he  joined  his  forces  to  those  of  J.  de  Wert,  in  Bohemia, 
and  conquered  general  Wrangel,  who  was  killed  in  the 
battle.  In  1627,  the  emperor  appointed  Montecuculi  ma- 
rechal  de  camp  general,  and  sent  him  to  assist  John  Casi- 
mir,  king  of  Poland.  He  defeated  Razolzi,  prince  of 
Transylvania,    drove  out  the  Swedes,   and  distinguished 

*  Eloy  Diet.  Hist,  de  Medecine.  *  Diet  Hist. 


MONTECUCULI.  289 

himself  greatly  against  the  Turks  in.  Transylvania,  and  in 
Hungary,  by  gaining  tbe  battle  of  St.  Gothard,  in  1664. 
Monteouculi  commanded  the  imperial  forces  against 
France  in  1673,  and  acquired  great  honour  from  tbe  cap- 
ture of  Bonn,  which  was  preceded  by  a  march,  conducted 
with  many  stratagems  to  deceive  M.  Turenne.  The  com- 
mand of  this  army  was  nevertheless  taken  from  him  the 
year  following,  but  he  received  it  again  in  1675,  that  he 
might  oppose  tbe  great, Turenne,  on  the  Rhine.  Monte- 
cuculi  had  soon  to  bewail  tbe  death  of  this  formidable 
enemy,  on  whom  he  bestowed  the  highest  encomiums:  "I 
lament,"  said  he,  "  and  1  can  never  too  much  lament,  the 
loss  of  a  man  who  appeared  more  than  man ;  one  who  did 
honour,  to  human  nature."  The  great  prince,  of  Cond^ 
was  the  only  person  who  could  contest  with  Montecuculi, 
the  superiority  which  M.  de  Turenne' s  .death  gave  Lira. 
That  prince  was  therefore  sent  to  the  Rhine,  and  stopped 
the  imperial  general's  progress,  who  nevertheless  considered 
this  last  campaign  as  his  most  glorious  one.;  (not  because 
he  was  a  conqueror,  but  because  be  was  not  conquered  by 
two  such  opponents  as  Turenne  and  Conde.  He,  spent 
the  remainder,  of  his  life  at  the  emperor's  court,-  devoting 
himself  to  the  belles  lettres ;  and, the  academy  of  natu- 
ralists owes  its  establishment  to  him.  He  died  October  16, 
1680,  at  Lines,  aged  seventy-two.  This  great  general  left 
«ome  very  excellent  "  Memoires"  on  the  military  art ;  the 
best  French  edition  .of  which  is  that  of  Strasburg,  1735  ;  to 
which  that. of  Paris,  1746,  12mo,  is  similar.1 .        .   , 

MONTE-MAYOR  (George  jje),  a  celebrated  CastiU 
lian  poet,  was  born  at  Monte-mayor,  whence  he  took  hi* 
name,  probably  in  the .  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
one  authority  says  in  1520.  It  is  thought  he  owed  his  re- 
putation more  to  genius  than  study  ;  in  his  early  years  be 
was  in  the  army,  and  amidst  the  engagements  of  a  military 
life,  cultivated  music  and  poetry.  He  appears  to  have  af- 
terwards obtained  an  employment,  on  account  of  his  mu- 
sical talents,  in  the  suite  of  Philip  II. ;  and  was  also  patro- 
nized by  queen  Catherine,  sister  to  the  emperor  Charles  V. 
He  died  in  the  prime  of  life  in  1562.  His  reputation  now 
rests  on  his  "  Diana,"  a  pastoral  romance,  which  has  al- 
ways been  admired  on  the  continent,  and  translated  into 
various  languages.     The  last  edition  of  the  original  is  that 

ft.    '  *  Diet.  Hilt— Moreri. 

Vol.  XXII.  U 


S90  MONTE. MAYOR* 


of  Madrid,  ]  795,  8vo.  Gaspar  Polo  published  a  continua- 
tion, "  La  Diana  enajnorada  cinco  libros  que  progequen  let 
VII,  de  Jorge de  Montemayor,"  Madrid,  1778,  8vo,  a  work 
which,  Brunet  says,  is  more  esteemed  than  that  of  Moott- 
mayor.1 

MONTESQUIEU  (Charles  de  Sbcondat,  baton  of), 
a  very  celebrated  French  writer,  was  descended  of  an  an* 
•cient  and  noble  family  of  Guienne,  and  born  at  the  castle 
of  Brede  near  Bourdeaux,  Jan.  18,  1639.  The  greatest 
care  was  taken  of  his  education ;  and,  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
he  bad  actually  prepared  materials  for  bis  •*  Spirit  of  Laws," 
by  a  wellr  digested  extract  from  those  immense  volumcfs 
which  compose  the  body  of  the  civil  law ;  and  which  he 
had  studied  both  as  a  civilian  and  a  philosopher.  Mau- 
pertuis  informs  us  that  he  studied  this  science  almost  from 
bis  infancy,  and  that  the  first  product  of  his  early  genius 
was  a  work,  in  which  he  undertook  to  prove,  that  the  ido- 
latry of  most  part  of  the  pagaps  did  not  deserve  eternal 
punishment,  but  this  he  thought  fit  to  suppress.  In  Feb. 
1714,  he  became  a  counsellor  of  the  parliament  of  Bouiu 
deaox,  and  was  received  president  amortier,  July  13, 1716, 
in  the  room  of  an  uncle,  who  left  htm  his  fortune  and  hie 
office.  He  was  admitted,  April  3, 1716,  into  the  academy 
of  Bourdeaux,  which  was  then  only  in  its  infancy.  A  taste 
for  music,  and  for  worts  of  entertainment,  had,  at  first, 
assembled  the  members  who  composed  it ;  but  the  socio* 
ties  for  belles  lettres  being  grown,  in  bis  opinion,  too  nu- 
merous, he  proposed  to  have  physios  for  their  chief  ob- 
ject ;  and  the  duke  de  la  Force,  having,  by  a  prize  just 
founded  at  Bourdeaux,  seconded  this  jast  and  rational  pro* 
posal,  Bourdeaux  acquired  an  academy  of  sciences,  . 

Montesquieu  is  said  not  to  have  been  eager  to  shew  him- 
self to  the  public,  but  rather  to  wait  for  "an  age  ripe  foj 
writing."  It  was  not  till  1721,  when  he  was  thirty-two 
years  of  age,  that  he  published  his  "  Persian  Letters." 
The  description  of  oriental  manners,  real  or  supposed,  of 
the  pride  and  phlegm  of  Asiatic  love,  is  but  the  smallest 
object  of  these  "  Letters ;"  which  were  more  particularly 
intended  as  a  satire  upon  French  manners,  and  treat  of 
several  important  subjects,  which  the  author  investigates 
rather  fully,  while  he  only  seems  to  glance  at  th$ai. 
Though  this  work  was  exceedingly  admired,  yet  he  did  not 

»  Ant.  BibL  Hitp.— Diet.  Hitt.— Brunei  Mamul  du  Likfltire. 


MONTESQUIEU.  29* 

openly  declare  himself  the  author  of  it.  He  expresses 
himself  sometimes  freely  about  matters  of  religion,  awl 
therefore  as  soon  as  he  was  known  to  be  the  author,  he 
had  to  encounter  much  censure  and  serious  opposition,  for 
at  that  time  the  philosophizing  spirit  was  not  tolerated  in 
France.  In  1725,  he  opened  the  parliament  with  a  speech* 
the  depth  and-  eloquence  of  which  were  convincing  proofs 
of  his  great  abilities  as  an  orator;  and  the  year  following 
he  quitted  bis  charge. 

A  place  in  the  French  academy  becoming  vacant  by  th* 
death  of  monsieur  de  Sacy,  in  1728,  Montesquieu,  .by  the 
advice  of  bis.  friends,  and  supported  also  by  the  voice  of 
the  public,  offered  himself  for  it.  Upon  this,  the  minister, 
cardinal  Fleury,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  academy,  informing 
them,  that  his  majesty  wquld  never  agree  to  the  election  of 
the  author  of  the  "  Persian  Letters  ;"  that  he  had  not  him* 
self  read  the  book;  but  that  persons  in  whom  be  placed 
confidence,  bad  informed  him  pf  its  dangerous  tendency* 
Montesquieu,  thinking  it  prudent  immediately  to  enco4nr 
ter  this  opposition,  waited  on  the  minister,  and  declared 
to  him,  that,  for  particular  reasons,  he  bad  flqc  owned  the 
*'  Persian  Letters,*'  but  that  he  would  be  still  farther  from 
disowning  a  work,  for  which  he  believed  he  bad  no  reaso* 
to  bhish  ;  and  that  he  ought  to  be  judged  after  a  reading, 
and  not  upon  information*  At  last,  the  minister  did  what; 
he  opght  to  haive  begun  with ;  he  read  the  hook,  loved  the 
author,  and  learned  to  place  his.  con6dence  better.  Th^ 
French  academy,  says  J>'Alei*bert4  was  not  deprived  of 
one  of  its  greatest  ornaments,  nor  France  of  a  subject,  of 
which  superstition  or  calumny  was  ready  to  deprive  her  \ 
for  Montesquieu,  it  seems,  bad  frankly  4*cl*red  to  the 
government,  that  he ;  could  not  think  of  continuing  in 
France  after  the  affront  they  were  about  to  offer,  but  should 
aeek- among  foreigners  for  that  safety,  repose,  and  honpur^ 
which  he  might  have  hoped  in  his  own  country.  He  was 
jecerred  into  the  academy,  Jan.  54,  1728  ;  and  his  dis* 
course  upon  that  occasion,  which  was  reckoned  a  very  finq 
one,  is  printed  among  his  works*.  . , 

*  His  conduct  ba«  been  differently  condemned  by  a  cardinal  or  a  minis. 

represented    by   Voltaire.       Monies-  ter.     Montesquieu  himself  carried  the 

quieti*  says  feat  author*  took  a  v*ry  work  to  the.  cardinal,  who  seldom  read, 

judicious  step  to  make  the  minister  and  he  perused  part  of  it.    Tbis  air  of 

bis  friend.    Be  printed,  in  a  few  days*  confidence,  supported  by  the  influence 

a  new  edition  ^>f  his  book%  in  which,  of  some  persons  of  credit,  regained  the 

every  thing  was  omitted  that'  could  be  cardinal's  interest ;  and  Montesquieu; 

U.3 


/ 


292  MONTESQUIEU. 

As  before  his  admission  into  the  academy,  he  had  given1 
tip  his  civil  employments,  and  devoted  himself  entirely  to 
his  genius  and  taste,  he  resolved  to  travel,  and  went  first, 
in  company  with  lord  Waldegrave  our  ambassador,  td 
Vienna,  where  he  often  saw  prince  Eugene ;  in  whom  he 
thought  he  could  discover  some  remains  of  affection  for  his 
native  country.  He  left  Vienna  to  visit  Hungary  ;  and1, 
passing  thence  through  Venice,  went  to  Rome.  There  he 
applied  himself  chiefly  to  examine  the  works  of  Raphael^ 
of  Titian,  and  of  Michael  Angek),  although  he  had  not 
made  the  fine  arts  a  particular  study.  After  having  tra- 
velled over  Italy,  be  came  to  Switzerland,  and  carefully 
examined  those  vast  countries  which  are  watered  by  the 
Rhine.  He  stopped  afterwards  some  time  in  the  United 
Provinces ;  and,  at  last,  went  to  England,  where  he  stayed 
three  years,  and  contracted  intimate  friendships  with  many 
of  the  most  distinguished  characters  of  the  -  day.  He  in 
particular  received  many  marks  of  attention  from  queen 
Caroline.  In  the  portrait  of  Montesquieu,  written  by  him- 
self, and  published  lately  among  some  posthumous  pieces, 
he  gives  the  following  proof  of  his  gallantry  in  reply : 
"Dining  in  England  with  the  duke  of  Richmond,  the 
French  envoy  there  La  Boine,  who  was  at  table,  and  wa» 
ill  qualified  for  his  situation,  contended  that  England  was 
not  larger  than  the  province  of  Guienne.  I  opposed  the 
envoy.  In  the  evening,  the  queen  said  to  me,  ( I  am 
informed,  sir,  that  you  undertook  our  defence-  against  M. 
de  la  Boine.9  (  Madam,'  I  replied,  *  I  cannot  persuade 
myself  that  a  country  over  which  you  reign,  is-  not  a  great 
kingdom.1" 

During  his  travels  to  gain  a  personal  acquaintance  with* 
the  manners,  genius,  and  laws  of  the  different  nations  of 
Europe,  he  met  with  some  singular  adventures.  Whilst 
he  was  at  Venice  he  wrote  mucfr  and  inquired  more  :  his 
writings,  which  he  did  not  keep  sufficiently  secret,  had 
alarmed  the  state ;  he  was  informed  of  it,  and  it  was  hinted 
to  him.  that  be  had  some  reason  to  be  apprehensive  that  in 
crossing  from  Venice  to  Fucina*  he  might  probably  be  ar- 
rested. With  this  information  he  embarked :  about  the 
middle  of  the  passage,  he  saw  several  gondolas  approach, 
and  row  round  his  vessel :  terror  seized  him,  and  in  his 

obtained  a  seat  in  the  academy.  This  tioned,  it  a  greater  proof  of  littleness 
teems  unworthy  of  Montesquieu ;  but  of  mind/  and  renders  Che  afore  &*•<•' 
%ii  conduct  to  Dupio,  hereafter  men-     babte.  <       - 


MONTESQUIEU. 


293 


panic  he  collected  all  bit  papers  which  contained  his  ob- 
servations on  Venice,  and  cast  them  into  the  sea.  The 
author  of  the  "  New  Memoirs  of  Italy"  says,  that  the  state 
t&d  no  design  against  his  person,  but  only  to  discover 
what  plans  he  might  have  formed. 

After  his  return,  he  retired  for  two  years  to  his  estate  at 
Bcede,  and  there  .finished  his  work  "  On  the  Causes  of 
the<Grandeur  and  Declension  of  the  Romans,"  which  ap- 
peared in  1734,  and  in  which  he  has  rendered  a  common 
topic  highly  interesting.  By  seizing  only  the  most  fruitful 
tranches  of  his  subject,  he  has  contrived  to  present  within 
a  small  compass  a  great  variety  of  objects.  But  whatever 
reputation  he  acquired  by  this  work/  it  was  but  prepara- 
tory to  the  more  extensive  fame  of  his  "  Spirit  of  Laws,? 
of  which  he  had,  as  already  noticed,  long  formed  the  de- 
sign. Yet  scarcely  was  it  published,  in  1748,  when  it  was 
attacked  by  the  same  adversaries  who  had  objected  to  the 
*  Persian  Letters,"  who  at  first  treated  it  with  levity,  and 
even  the  title  of  it  was  made  a  subject  of  ridicule ;  but  the 
more  serious  objections  made  to  it  on  the  score  of  religion* 
alarmed  the  author,  who  therefore  drew  up  "  A  Defence 
of  the  Spirit  of  Laws  ;"  in  which,  while  he  could  not  pre- 
tend that  it  was  without  faults,  be  endeavoured  to  prove 
that  it  had  not  all  the  faults  ascribed  to  it.  It  is  said  that 
when  the  "  Spirit  of  Laws"  made  its  appearance,  the  Sor- 
honne  found  in  it  several  propositions  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  catholic  church.  These  doctors  entered  into 
a  critical. investigation  of  the  work,  which  they  generally 
censured;  but  as  among  the  propositions  condemned,  there 
were  found  some  concerning  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction 
w.hich  were  attended  with  many  difficulties,  and  as  Mon- 
tesquieu had  promised  to  give  a  new  edition,  in  which  he 
would  correct  any  passages  that  had  appeared  against  reli- 
gion, this  censure  of  the  Sorbonne  did  not  appear. 

The  systematical  part  of  the  "  Spirit  of  Laws"  was  that 
of  which  Montesquieu  seemed  the  most  tenacious ;  this 


•  Among  his  critics  was  M.  Dupin, 
M  farmer-general,  who  wrote  an  ans- 
wer to  the  "  Spirit  of  Laws;"  but  after 
a  few  copies  had  been  distributed, 
Montesquieu  made  his  complaint  to 
madame  Pompadour,  who  sent  for  the 
writer,  and  told  him  she  took  the 
"Spirit of  the  Laws,"  and  it«  author, 
j^nderjjer  protection  :  in  consequence 


of  this,  Dupin  was  obliged  to  submit, 
and  the  whole  edition  of  his  answer 
was  consigned  to  the  flames.  This 
was  not  to  the  credit  of  Montesquieu, 
who  should  have  learnt  a  different  les- 
son from  England,  in  which  he  said 
be  had  been  excited  to  thought  and 
reflection. 


2*4  MONTESQUIEU. 


\ 


indeed  was  the  most  important  and  the  most  difficult  His 
system,  however,  of  the  climates,  inconclusive  and  ill- 
founded  asit  is,  appears  borrowed  from  Bod  in' s  "  Method 
of  studying  History,"  and  Charron's  "Treatise  on  Wisdom.** 
Still  the  numerous  useful  observations,  ingenious  reflec- 
tions, salutary  plans,  and  strong  images,  that  are  diffused 
through  the  work,  added  to  the  admirable  maxims  we  there 
meet  with  for  the  good  of  society,  gave  the  work  a  very 
high  reputation  in  France,  as  well  as  throughout  Europe 
in  general.  It  has  now  lost  much  of  its  popularity,  but  at 
tone  time  no  book  was  more  read  and  studied. 

The  admirers  of  Montesquieu  have  wished  that  he  had 
applied  himself  to  the  writing  of  history;  but  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  his  imagination  would  not  have  proved 
too  lively  for  that  attention  to  facts  and  authorities  which 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  historical  narrative.  He  had, 
however,  finished  the  history  of  Lewis  XI.  of  France,  and 
the  public  was  upon  the  point  of  reaping  the  benefit  of  hi& 
labours,  when  a  singular  mistake  deprived  them  of  if. 
Montesquieu  one  day  left  the  rough  draught  and  the  copy 
of  this  history  upon  his  table,  when  be  ordered  his  secre- 
tary to  burn  the  draught,  and  lock  up  the  copy.  The  se- 
cretary obeyed  in  part,  but  left  the  copy  upon  the  table  : 
Montesquieu  returning  some  hours  alter  into  his  studyy 
observed  this  copy,  which  he  took  for  the  draught,  and 
threw  it  into  the  fire.  On  this  and  the  preceding  anec- 
dote, one  of  bis  countrymen,  in  the  true  spirit  of  French 
compliment,  observes,  "  that  the  elements,  as  well  as 
taen  in  power,  seemed  jealous  of  his  superior  merit,  at 
water  and  lire  deprived  us  of  two  of  his  most  valuable  pro* 
ductions." 

In  1751,  a  literary  dispute  arose  concerning  the  transla- 
tion  of  the  Bible  into  French :  the  question  was,  whether 
the  second  person  singular,  which  is  dismissed  in  all  polite 
conversation,  should  be  preserved  ?  Fontenelle  was  en  the 
affirmative  side,  as  well  as  Montesquieu.  Remarks  were 
written  on  this  determination,  in  which  the  writer,  among 
other  things,  observes,  "  That  the  author  of  the  Persian; 
Letters  with  his  eastern  taste,  could  not  fail  being  an  ad- 
vocate for  thou*'9 

About  this  time,  among  other  marks  of  esteem  bestowed 
on  Montesquieu,  Dassier,  who  was  celebrated  for  cutting 
of  medals,  and  particularly  the  English  coin,  went  from 
London  to  Paris,  to  engrave  that  of  the  author  of  the  Spirit 


MONTESQUIEU.  S93 

* 

Lata ;  but  Montesquieu  modestly  declined  it.  Tbe 
artist  said  to  him  one  day,  "  Do  not  you  think  there  is  as 
much  pride  in  refusing  my  proposal,  as  if  you  accepted  it?" 
Disarmed  by  this  pleasantry,  he  yielded  to  Dassier's  re* 
quest.. 

Montesquieu  was  peaceably  enjoying  that  esteem  which 
bjs  merits  bad  procured  him,  when  he  fell  sick  at  Paris  in 
1155.  His  health,  naturally  delicate,  had  begun  to  decay 
for  some  time,  partly  by  the  slow  but  sure  effect  of  deep 
study,  and  partly  by  the  way  of  life  be  was  obliged  to  lead, 
at  Paris,  He  was  oppressed  with  cruel  pains  soon  after  be 
fell  siek,  nor  had  he  his  family,  or  any  relations,  near  him ; 
yet  he  preserved  to  his  last  moments  great  firmness  and 
tranquillity  of  mind.  "  In  short,"  says  bis  elogist,  "  after 
paving  performed  every  duty  which  decency  required,  he 
died  with  the  ease  and  well-grounded  assurance  of  a  man 
who  had  never  employee!  his  talents  but  in  the  cause  of 
virtue  and  humanity."  His  last  hours  are  said  to  have 
been  disturbed  by  the  Jesuits,  who  wished  him  to  retract 
some  of  his  opinions  on  religion ;  and  some  say  he  made  a 
formal  disavowal  of  these.  He.  died  February,  10,  1755,> 
aged  66. 

Besides  the  works  already  mentioned,  Montesquieu  wnota 
others  of  less  reputation,  but  wbicb  might  have  conferred 
celebrity  on  a  writer  of  inferior  merit.  The  most  remarkable 
of  them  is  the  "  Temple  of  Gnidus,"  which  was  published 
aOon  after  the  "Persian  Letters."  Montesquieu,  says 
D'Alembert,  after  having  been  Horace,  Theophrastus,  and 
Lucian,  ip  those,  was  Ovid  and  Anacreon  in  this  new  essay. 
in  this  he  professes  to  describe  the  delicacy  and  simjplicity 
of  pastpral  love,  such  a*  it  is  in  an  inexperienced  hearty 
not  yet  corrupted  with  tbe  commerce  of  the  world : 
and, this  be  has  painted  in  a  sort  of  poem  in  prose;  for, 
3t>cb  we  may  reasonably  call  a  piece  so  full  of  images  and 
descriptions  as  the  "  Temple  of  Gnidus."  Its  voluptuous 
style  at  first  made  it  be  read  with  avidity,  but,  it  is  now 
Considered  as  unworthy  of  the  author.  Besides  this,  there 
is  a  small  piece,  called  "  Lysimachus,"  and  another,  still 
smaller,  "  On  Taste;"  but  this  is  indeed  paly:  a  fragment. 
Several  of  bis  works  have  been  translated  at  different  times 
into  English,  but  are  not  now  much  read  in  this  country. 
In  France,  however,  he  is  still  considered  as  one  of  their 
standard  authors,  and  within  these  few  years,  several  splen- 
did editions  of  his  collected  works  have  been  published 


236  MONTESQUIEU. 

both  in  4to  and  8vo,  with  additions  from  the  author's  ma- 
nuscripts. 
'  To  the  personal  character  of  Montesquieu,  as  given  by 
his  eulogists  and  biographers,  we  have  never  heard  any 
objection.     He  was  not  less  amiable,  say   they,  for   the 
qualities  of  his  heart,  than  those  of  his  mind.     He  ever 
appeared  in  the  commerce  of  the  world  with  good  humour, 
cheerfulness,  and  gaiety.    His  conversation  was  easy,  agree- 
able, and  instructive,  from  the  great  number  of  men  he 
bad  lived  with,  and  the  variety  of  manners  he  had  studied.    ' 
It  was  poignant  like  his  style,  full  of  salt  and  pleasant 
sallies,  free  from  invective  and  satire.     No  one  could  relate 
a  narration,  with  more  vivacity,  readiness,  grace,  and  pro- 
priety.    He  knew  that  the  close  of  a  pleasing  story  is 
always  the  chief  object ;  he  therefore  hastened  to  reach  it, 
and  always  produced  a  happy  effect,  without  creating  too 
great  an  expectation.     His  frequent  flights  were  very  en- 
tertaining ;  and  he  constantly  recovered  himself  by  some 
unexpected  stroke,  which  revived  a  conversation  when  it 
was  drooping ;  but  they  were  neither  theatrically   played 
off,  forced,  or  impertinent.     The  6re  of  his  wit  gave  them 
birth;  but  his  judgment  suppressed  them  in  the  course  of 
a  serious  conversation  :  the  wish  of  pleasing  always  made 
him  suit  himself  to  his  company,  without  affectation  or  the 
desire  of  being  clever.     The  agreeableness  of  his  company 
was  not  only  owing  to  his  disposition  and  genius,  but  also 
to  the  peculiar  method  he  observed  in  his  studies.     Though 
capable  of  the  deepest  and  most  intricate  meditations,  he 
never  exhausted  his  powers,  but  always  quitted  bis  lucu- 
brations before  he  felt  the  impulse  of  fatigue.     He  had  a 
sense  of  glory ;  but  he  was  not  desirous  of  obtaining  with- 
out meriting  it.     He  never  attempted  to  increase  his  repu- 
tation by  those  obscure  and  shameful  means  which  dis- 
honour the  man,  without  increasing  the  fame  of  the  author. 
Worthy  of  the  highest  distinction   and  the  greatest  re- 
wards, he  required   nothing,  and  was   not  astonished   at 
being  forgotten  :  but  he  dared,  even  in  the  most  critical 
circumstances,  to  protect,  at  Court,  men  of  letters  who 
were  persecuted,  celebrated,  and  unhappy,  and  obtained 
them  favour.     Although  be  lived  with  the  great,  as  well 
from  his  rank  as  a  taste  for  society,  their  company  was  not 
essential  to  bis  happiness.     He  sequestered  himself,  when- 
ever he  could,  in  his  villa :  there  with  joy  he  embraced 
philosophy,  erudition,  and  ease.     Surrounded  in  his-leU 


M  ONTISftU  VE  U.  29* 

sure  hours  with  rustic*,  after  having  studied  man  in  ihb 
commerce  of  the  world  and  the  history  of  nations,  he 
studied  him  even  in  those  simple  beings,  whose  sole  in- 
structor was  nature,  and   in  them  he  found  information.* 
He  cheerfully  conversed  with  them :  like  Socrates  he  traced 
their  genius,  and  he  was  as  much  pleased  with  their  un- 
adorned narrations  as  with  the  polished  harangues  of  the 
great,  particularly  when  he  terminated  their  differences,* 
and  alleviated  their  grievances  by  his  benefactions.     He 
was  in  general  very  kind  to  his  servants :  nevertheless,  he 
was  compelled  one  day  to  reprove  them ;  when  turning, 
towards  a  visitor,  he  said  with  a  smile,  "  These  are  clocks- 
that   must  be  occasionally  wound   up."      Nothing  does 
greater  honour  to  his  memory  than  the  oeconomy  with 
which  he  lived  ;  it  has  indeed  been  deemed  excessive  inv 
an  avaricious  and  fastidious  world,  little  formed  to  judge 
of  the  motive  of  his  conduct,  and  still  less  to  feel  it.     Be-* 
oeficent  and  just,  Montesquieu  would  not  injure  his  family 
by  the  succours  with  which  he  aided  the  distressed,  nor 
the  extraordinary  expence  occasioned  by  his.  travels,  the 
weakness  of  his  sight,  and  the  printing  of  his  works.     He' 
transmitted  to  his.  children,  without  diminution  or  increase, 
the  inheritance  he  received  from  his  ancestors:  he  added 
nothing  to  it  but  his  fame,  and  the  example  of  his  life. 
;   Montesquieu   married,   in   1715,   Jeanne   de   Lartigue,' 
daughter  to  Peter  de  Lartigue,  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
regiment  of  Maulevrier.     By  this  lady  he  had  two  daughters 
and  a  son,  John  Baptista  de  Secondat,  counsellor  of 
the  parliament  of  Bourdeaux,  who  died  in  that  city  in 
1796,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine.     He  was  author  of  many> 
works ;    particularly  of  "  Observations    de    Physique  et 
d'Histoire  Naturelle  sur  les  Eaux  Minerales  de  Pyrenees,'1* 
1750 ;  "  Considerations  sur  la  Commerce  et  la  Navigation 
de  la  Grande  Bretagne,"  1740;  "  Considerations  sur  la 
Marine  Militaire  de  France,"  1756.     He  resided  a  con- 
siderable time  in  London,  and  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Royal  Society. ! 

MONTETH,  or  MONTEITH  (Robert),  a  Scotch  his-: 
torian,  was  born  at  Salmonet,  between  Airth  and  Grange,* 
on  the  south-side  of  the  Firth-of- Forth,  whence  he  was 
called  abroad  Salmonettus  Scoto-Britannus.  Of  his  life  we 
have  been  able  to  discover  very  few. particulars.    The  tra* 

.    !  Eloge  by  O'Alembert  and  by  Maapertuit.— JWct.  HUL    ' 


»S  MONTE  T  ft. 

dition  is,  that  be  was  obliged  to  leave  Scotland  upon  bkr 
being  suspected  of  adultery  with  the  wife  of  sir  James  Ho-* 
milton  of  Preston*-field.  Monteith  appears  to  have  been  a 
chaplain  of  cardinal  de  Retz,  who  also  made  him  a  eanott 
6f  Notre  Dame,  and  encouraged  him  in  writing  his  history* 
SeeJoli,  Memoires,  torn.  II.  page  86,  where  he  is  called 
«  homme  scavant  &  de  merite."  Cardinal  de  Rets  also 
mentions  him,  vol.  III.  p.  323.  His  brother  was  lieute- 
nant-colonel of  Dbuglas's  regiment  (the  royal)>  and  killed 
in  Alsace.  In  the  privilege  for  printing  Monteith' s  History* 
granted  the  13th  of  September  1660,  to  Jaques  St.  Clair 
de  Roselin,  he  is  styled  "le  defunct  St.  Montet."  In  th«f 
title-page  he  is  called  Messire.  This  work  embraces  the 
period  of  Scotch  history  from  the  coronation  of  Charles  I* 
to  the  conclusion  of  the  rebellion.  In  his  preface  he  pro^ 
fesses  the  utmost  impartiality,  and  as  far  as  we  have  beet* 
able  to  look  into  the  work,  he  appears  to  have  treated  th& 
history  of  those  tumultuous  times  with  much  candour.' 
His  leaning;  is  of  course  to  the  regal  side  of  the  question.* 
In  1735  a  translation  of  this  work,  which  was  originally 
published  in  French,  and  was  become  very  rare,  was  exe- 
cuted at  London  in  one  vol.  fol.  by  J.  Ogilvie,  under  the. 
title  of  a  "History  of  the  Troubles  of  Great  Britain."' 
The. author  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  Menage,-  who  wrote 
two  Latin  epigrams  in  his  praise.  The  time  of  his  death 
we  have  not  been  able  to  discover.  He  must  be  distin- 
guished from  a  Robert  Mouteith,  the  compiler  of  a  scared 
and  valuable  collection  of  all  the  epitaphs  of  Scotland,, 
published  in  1704,  Svo,  under  the  title  of  "  An  Theater 
of  Mortality."  * 

MONTFAUCON  (Bernard  de),  a  Benedictine  of  the 
Congregation  of  St.  Maur,  and  one  of  the  most  learned  an- 
tiquaries France  has  produced,  was  born  Jan.  17,  1655,  at 
Soulage  in  Languedoc,  whither  his  parents  had  removed 
on  some  business ;  and  was  educated  at  the  castle  of  Ro- 
quetailiade  in  the  diocese  of  Alet,  where  they  ordinarily  re-* 
sided.  His  family  was  originally  of  Gascony,  and  of  the 
ancient  lords  of  Montfaucon-le-Vieux,  first  barons  of  the 
comt£  de  Comminges.  The  pedigree  of  a  man  of  learning* 
is  not  of  much  importance,  but  Montfaucon  was  an  anti-r 
quary,  and  has  given  us  bis  genealogy  in  his  "  Bibl.  Biblio~ 
thecarum  manuscriptorum,"  and  it  must  not,  therefore,  be 

*  Pifeftce  to  bit  kiitory.— Republic  of  Letters,  vol.  IX.  p.  175* 


MONTFAUCON.  fcdd 

forgotten,  that  besides  his  honourable  ancestors  of  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  he  was  the  soli  of  Ti* 
moleon  de  Montfaucon,  lord  of  Roquet&illade  and  Coniilac 
in  the  diocese  of  Alet,  by  Flora  de  Maignan,  daughter  of 
the  baron  d'  Albieres.     He  was  the  second  of  four  brothers. 
From  his  early  studies  in  his  father's  house  he  was  removed 
to  Limoux,  where  he  continued  them  under  the  fathers  of 
the  Christian  doctrine,  and  it  is  said  that  the  reading  of 
Plutarch's  Lives  inspired  him  first  with  a  love  for  history 
and  criticism.     A  literary  profession,  however,  was  not  his 
original  destination,  for  we  find  that  he  set  out  with  being 
ft  cadet  in  the  regiment  of  Perpignan,  and  served  one  or 
two  campaigns  in  Germany  in  the  army  of  marshal  Turenne. 
He  also  gave  a  proof  of  his  courage  by  accepting  a  chal- 
lenge from  a  brother  officer,  who  wished  to  put  it  to  the 
test.     About  two  years  after  entering  the  army,  the  death 
of  his  parents*  and  of  an  officer  of  distinction  under  whom 
he  served,  with  other  circumstances  that  occurred  about 
the  same  time,  appear  to  have  given  him  a  dislike  to  the 
military  life,  and  induced  him  to  enter  the  congregation 
of  St.  Maur  in  1675  at  the  age  of  twenty.     In  this  learned 
society,  for  such  it  was  for  many  years,  he  had  every  op- 
portunity to  improve  his  early  education,  and  follow  the 
literary  pursuits  most  agreeable  to  him.     The  first  fruits  of 
his  application  appeared  in  a  kind  of  supplement  to  Cot- 
telerius,  entitled   "  Analecta  Grceca  sive  varia  opuscula* 
Gr.  &  Lat."  Paris,  4to,  1688,  with  notes  by  him,  Antony 
Pouget  and  James  Lopin.     In  1690  he  published  a  small 
volume  12mo,  entitled  "Laverit£  de  l'Histoirede  Judith,"  • 
in  which  he  attempts  to  vindicate  the  authenticity  of  that 
apocryphal  book,  and  throws  considerable  light  on  the 
history  of  the  Medes  and  Assyrians.     His  next  publication* 
of  much  importance  was  a  Hew  edition  in  Gr.  &  Lat.  of 
the  works  of  St.  Athanaskts,  which  came  out  in  1698,  3  vols, 
fbl.    This,  which  is  generally  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Benedictine  edition,  gave  the  world  the  first  favourable 
impression  of  Montfaucon's  extensive  learning  and  judg- 
ment.    He  had  some  assistance  in  it  from  father  Lopin, 
before-mentioned,  who,  however,  died  before  the  publi- 
cation. 

In  the  same  year,  Montfaucon,  who  bad  turned  hia 
thoughts  to  more  extensive  collections  of  antiquities  than 
had  ever  yet  appeared,  determined  to  visit  Italy  for  the 
sake  of  the  libraries,  and  employed  three  years  in  consult* 


300  MONTFAUCON. 

in'g  their  manuscript  treasures.  After  his  return,  he  pub- 
lished in  1702,  an  account  of  his  journey  and  researches, 
under  the  title  of  "  Diarium  Italicum,  sive  monumenturn 
veterum,  bibliothecarum,  musseorum,  &c  notitiaB  singu- 
lars, itinerario  ltalico  collects ;  additis  schematibus  et 
figuris,"  Paris,  4to.  Of  this  an  English  translation  was 
published  in  1725,  folio,  by  as  great  a  curiosity  as  any  that 
father  Montfaucon  had  met  with  in  his  travels,  the  famous 
orator  Henley,  who  had  not,  however,  at  that  time  dis- 
graced his  character  and  profession.  In  1709,  Ficorin^ 
published  a  criticism  on  the  "Diarium"  which  Montfaucon 
answered -in  the  "  Journal  des  S§avans,"  and  some  time 
after  be  met  with .  a  defender  in  a  work  entitled  "  Apolo- 
gia del  diario  ltalico/'  by  father  Busbaldi,  of  Mont-Cassin. 
During  Montfaucon's  residence  at  Rome,  he  exercised  the 
function  of  procurator-general  of  his  congregation  at  that 
court;  and  it  was  also  while  there,  in  1699,  that  be  bad 
occasion  to  take  up  his  pen  in  defence  of  an  edition  of  the 
works  of  St.  Augustine  published  by  some  able  men  of  his 
order,  but  which  had  been  attacked,  as  he  thought,  very 
illiberally.  His  vindication  was  a  12mo  volume,  entitled 
"  Vindicise  editionis  sancti  Augustini  a  Benedictis  ador- 
nata,  ad  versus  epistolam  abbatis  Germani  autore  D.  B.  de 
Biviere,"  The  edition  referred  to  is  that  very  complete 
one  by  the  Benedictins,  begun  to  be  published  in  1679, 
at  Antwerp,  and  completed  in  1700,   1 1  vols,  folio. 

In  1706,  Montfaucon  published  in  2  vols,  folio,  a  col-, 
lection  of  the  ancient  Greek  ecclesiastical  writers,  with  a 
Latin  translation,  notes,  dissertations,  &c.  The  most  con^ 
siderable  part  of  this  collection  is  "  Eusebius  of  Caesarea's 
Commentary  upon  the  Psalms,"  mentioned  by  St.  Jerome, 
and  which  we  overlooked  in  our  account  of  Eusebius. 
Here  is  also  Eusebius' s  commentary  on  Isaiah,  and  some 
jnedited  works  of  St.  Athanasius,  for  which  reason  this 
"  Collectio  nova  patrum"  (for  such  is  its  title)  is  recom- 
mended as  a  companion  to  Montfaucon's  edition  of  Atha- 
nasius's  works.  A  second  edition  of  both  was  published  at 
Padua  in  1777,  4  vols,  folio;  but  although  it  professes  to 
be  improved  "  curis  novissimis,"  it  does  not  enjoy  the  re- 
putation of  the  originals.  In  1708  he  published  one  of 
his  most  important  works,  and  which  alone  would  have 
given  him  strong  claims  on  the  learned  world,  his  "  Palaeo- 
grapbia  Graeca,  sive  de  ortu  et  progressu  literarum  Grae- 
cam ui,  et  de  variis  omnium  SLscculorum  scriptioiris  Graecap 


MONTFAUCON,  401 

generibus  ;  itemque  de  abbreviationibus  et  notis  variarum 
artiom  et  disciplinarum.  Additis  figuris  et  scbetnatibu* 
ad  fidem  manuscriptorum  codicum,"  folio.  This  inva- 
luable work  has  done  the  same  in  reference  to  the  disco- 
very of  the  age  of  Greek  MSS.  which  the  "  De  re  diplo- 
matica"  of  Mabillon  has  done  to  ascertain  the  age  of  those 
in  Latin.  At  the  end  of  this  work,  are  John  Comnenus's 
description  of  Mount  Athos,  Gr.  and  Lat.  with  a  learned 
preface ;  and  a  dissertation  by  the  president  Bouhier  on 
the  ancient  Greek  and  Latin  letters. 

In  1709  Montfaucon  published  Pbilo-Judaeus  on  a  con-, 
templative  life,  in  French,  *c  Le  Livre  de  Philon  de  la 
vie  contemplative,  &c."  translated  from  the  Greek  with 
notes,  and  an  attempt  to  prove  that  t!ie  Therapeut®  of 
whom  Philo  speaks  were  Christians.  Having  sent  a  copy 
of  this  to  president  Bouhier,  the  latter  returned  him  a  po- 
lite letter  of  thanks,  but  stated  that  he  could  not  agree  with 
.him  in  his  opinion  respecting  the  religion  of  the  Thera- 
peutm.  This  brought  on  a  correspondence  which  was 
published  at  Paris  in  1712,  12mo,  under  the  title  of  "  Let- 
tres  pour  &  contre  sur  la  fameuse  question,  si  les  solitaires 
appell^s  Therapeutes  etoient  Chretiens."  The  learned 
Gisbert  Coper  was  also  against  the  opinion  of  Montfaucon 
on  this  question;  and  it  is,  we  believe,  now  generally 
thought  that  his  arguments  were  more  ingenious  than  con- 
vincing. In  1710,  Montfaucon  published  an  "  Epistola" 
on  the  fact,  mentioned  by  Rufinus,  that  St.  Athanasius 
baptised  children  when  himself  a  child.  In  this  work  he 
investigates  the  date  of  the  death  of  St.  Alexander,  bishop 
of  Alexandria,  and  that  of  the  death  of  St.  Athanasius.  This 
was  followed  in  1713  by  an  edition  of  what  remains  of  the 
"  Hexapla  of  Origen,"  2  vols,  folio,  and  a  fine  edition  of 
the  works  of  St  Chrysostom,  begun  in  1718,  and  completed 
in  1738  in  13  vols,  folio. 

In  1715  appeared  his  "  Bibliotheca  Cosliniana,  olint  Se~ 
guieriana,  seu  MSS.  omnium  Greecorum  quae  in  ea  conti* 
nentur  accurata  descriptio,"  Paris,  folio.  This  contains  a 
list  of  400  Greek  MSS.  with  the  age  of  each,  and  often  a 
specimen  of  the  style,  &c.  In  1719,  the  year  in  which  be 
was  chosen  a  member  of  the  academy  of  inscriptions  and 
belles  lettres,  appeared  his  great  work,  and  such  as  no  na- 
tion had  yet  produced,  entitled  "  L*  Antiquity  expliqueeet 
representee  en  figures/'  Paris,  5  vo}s.  usually  bound  in  10; 
t#  'which  was  added  in  1724,.  a  supplement,  in  $  vpk.  the* 


30*  M  O  N  T  W  A  U  0  O  N. 

whole  illustrated  by  a  vast  number  of  elegant,  accurate* 
and  expensive  engravings,  representing  nearly  40,000  ob- 
jects of  antiquity,  engraved  from  statues,,  medals,  &c.  iq 
the  various  cabinets  of  Europe.  In  such  a  vast  collection 
.as  this,  it  is  as  unnecessary  to  add  that  there  are  many 
errors,  as  it  would  be  unjqst  to  censure  them  with  all  the 
parade  of  criticism.  In  the  case  of  a  work  which  so  many 
hundred  recent  scholars  and  antiquaries  have  quoted,  and 
which  laid  the  foundation  for  the  improvements  of  later 
times,  it  would  be  fastidious  to  withhold  the  praises  se 
justly  due  to  the  laborious  author.  Whole  societies,  in- 
deed, would  think  much  of  their  joint  efforts,  if  they  bad 
accomplished  a  similar  undertaking.  It  remains  to  be  no- 
ticed, however,  that  the  first  edition  of  the  above  dates,  it 
the  most  valuable.  That  reprinted  in  1722  with  the  sup- 
plement of  1757  is  by  no  means  of  equal  reputation.  Some 
copies  made  up  from  the  edition  in  40  vols,  pf  1719,  and 
tbe  supplement  of  1757,  are  also  in  little  esteem.  This  was 
followed  by  another  interesting  work,  which  is  now  be* 
come  scarce,  "  Les  Monumens  de  la  monarchic  Frangoise, 
avec  Jes  fig.  de  chaque  regne,  que  l'iujure  du  temps  a 

!>pargn£es,"  Paris,  1729 — 1733,  5  vols,  folio.  This  coU 
ection,  of  which  he  published  a  prospectus  in  1725,  may 
be  properly  called  "  The  Antiquities  of  France,"  and  in- 
cludes all  those  classes,  civil,  ecclesiastical,  warlike,  man-* 
ners,  &c.  which  form  a  work  of  that  title  in  modern  Ian* 
gpage.  His  last,  and  not  tbe  least  important  of  his  works, 
was . published  in  1739,  2  vols,  folio,  under  the  title  of 
"  $ihhotheca  bibliothecarum  MSS.  nova,  ubi  quae  innu- 
merrs .  pcene  manuscriptorum  bibliothecis  continentur  ad 
qupdvis  Utteratura  genus  spectantia  et  uotatu  digna,  de* 
toribuntur,  et  iadicantur."  Two  years  after  the  learned 
futhor  died  suddenly  at  the  abbey  of  St.  Germain  deaPres, 
Dec.  21, 174],  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-seven.  Be* 
aides  the  works  above  mentioned,  Montfaucon  contributed 
many  curious  and  valuable  essays  on  subjects  of  antiquity* 
frc.  to  tbe  memoirs  of  the  academy  of  inscriptions  aad 
belles  lettres,  and  other  literary  journals. 

Montfaucon  enjoyed  during  his  long  life  the  esteem  of 
ijbe  learned  world,  am)  was  not  more  regarded  for  the  e*« 
tensive  learning  than  the  amiable  qualities  of  hi*  private 
character*  He  was  modest,  polite,  affable,  and  alwayar 
ready  to  communicate  the  information  with  which  his 
indefatigable  studies  and  copious  reading  supplied  him. 


J 


MONTFAUCON.  SOS 

Foreigners  who  sought  to  he  introduced  to  him,  returned 
froiti  his  conversation,  equally  delighted  with  his  manner*, 
and  astonished  at  bis  stores  of  learning.  The  popes  Be- 
nedict XIII.  and  Clement  XI. -and  the  emperor  Charles  VI. 
honoured  him  with  particular  marks  of  their  regard ;  but 
honours  or  praise,  in  no  shape,  appeared  to  affect  the  hu- 
mility and  simplicity  of  his  manners.1 

MONTGERON  (Lewis  Basil  Carke'  de),  borh  in 
1686,  at  Paris,  was  the  son  of  Guy  Carr£,  mafcre  des 
requites.  He  was  but  twenty-five  when  be  purchased  a 
counsellor's  place  in  the  parliament,  and  acquired  some 
degree  of  credit  in  that  situation  by  his  wit  and  exteriot 
-accomplishments.  He  had,  by  bis  own  account,  given 
•himself  up  to  all  manner  of  licentiousness,  for  which  his 
conscience  frequently  checked  htm,  and  although  he  en- 
deavoured to  console  himself  with  the  principles  of  infi- 
delity, his  mind  was  still  harassed,  when  accident  of  de? 
•ign  led  him  to  visit  the  tomb  of  M.  Paris  the  deacon,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1731,  with  the  crowd  which,  from  various  mo* 
•lives,  were  assembled  there.  If  we  may  believe  his  own 
•account,  he  went  merely  to  scrutinize,  with  the'  utmost 
severity,  the  (pretended)  miracles  wrought  there,  but  felt 
iumself,  as  be  says,  suddenly  struck  and  overwhelmed  by 
,&  thousand  rays  of  light,  which  illuminated  him,  and,  front 
an  infidel,  he  immediately  became  a  Christian,  but  in  truth 
-was  devoted  from  that  moment  to  fanaticism,  with  the  same 
violence  and  impetuosity  of  temper  which  had  before  led 
him  into  the  most  scandalous  excesses.  In  1739  he  was 
involved  in  a  quarrel  which  the  parliament  had  with  the 
court,  and  was,  with  others,  banished  to  Auvergne.  Herd 
he  formed  a  plan  for  collecting  the  proofs  of  the  miracles 
wrought  at  the  tomb  of  the  abbe  Paris,  making  them  clear 
to  demonstration,  as  he  called  it,  and  presenting  them  to 
the  king.  At  his  return  to  Paris,  he  prepared  to  put  this 
plan  in  execution,  went  to  Versailles,  July  29,  1737,  and 
presented  the  king  with  a  quarto  volume  magnificently 
bound,  which  he  acoompanied  with  a  speech.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  step  Montgeron  was  sent  to  thebastile,  thett 
confined  some:  months  in  a  Benedictine  abbey  belonging 
to  the  diocese  of  Avignon,  removed  soon  after  to  Viviers, 
and  carried. from  thence  to  be  shut  up  in  the  citadel  of 
Valence,  where  he  died  in  1754,  aged  sixty-eight.    The 

*  Moreri.— Saxit  Oaomast.— -Diet.  Hitt.— CUrke'i  Bibliographical  Dictionary, 


.ao*  M  ON  T  G  E  R'O  n: 

work  which  he  presented  to  the  king  is  entitled  "  La  Verity 
des  Miracles  op£r£s  par  I'lntercession  de  M.  de  Paris/'  &c. 
4to.  This  first  volume  by  M.  Montgerbn  has  been  followed 
by  two  more,  and  he  is  said  also  to  have  left  a  work  in  MS. 
against  the  incredulous,  -written  while  he  was  a  prisoner. 
De  Montgeron  would,  however,  have  scarcely  deserved  a 
place  here,  if  bishop  Douglas,  in  his  "  Criterion,"  had  nofc 
bestowed  so  much  pains  on  examining  the  pretended  mira- 
cles which  be  records,  and  thus  rendered  his  history  an 
object  of  some  curiosity.1 

MONTGOLF1ER  (Stephen  James),  the  inventor  of 
•air-balloons,  was  born  at  Aunonay,.  and  was  originally  a 
paper-maker,  and  the  first  who  made  what  is  called  vellum- 
;paper.  Whence -be  took  the  bint  of « the  aerostatic  bal- 
loons seems  uncertain,  but  in  1782  be  made  his  first  ex- 
periment at  Avignon,  and  after  other  trials,  exhibited 
.before  the  royal  family  on  Sept.  19,  1783,  a  grand  balloon, 
Jiear  sixty  feet  high  and  forty-three  in  diameter,  which 
ascended  with  a  cage  containing  a  ;sheep,  a  codjk,  and  a 
duck,  and  conveyed  them  through  the  air  in  safety  to  the 
distance  of  about  10,000  feet.  This  was  foHowed  by  ano- 
ther machine  of  Montgolfier's  construction,  with  which  a 
M.  Pilatre  de  Rozier  ascended.  This  daring  adventurer 
lost  his  life  afterwards  along  with  his  companidn  Romsitr, 
by  the  balloon  catching  fire,  an  event  which  did  dot  pre- 
vent balloons  from  being  introduced  into  this-  and  other 
countries.  After  repeated  trials,  however,  the  utility  of 
these  expensive  and  hazardous  machines  seems  doubtful, 
and  for  some  years  they  have  been  of  little  use,  except  to 
fill  the  pockets  of  needy  adventurers.  MontgoJfier  was  re* 
warded  for  the  discovery  by  admission  into  the  academy  of 
sciences,  the  ribbon  of  St.  Michael,  and  a  pension.  He- 
died  in  1799.* 

MONTMORT  (Peter  Raymond  de),  an  able  mathe- 
ipatici^n,  ,was  born  at  Paris  in  the  year  1678,  and  intended 
for  the  profession  of ,  the  law,  to  -enable  him  to  qualify  for 
a  place  in  the  magistracy**  From  dislike. of  this  destination,* 
he  withdrew  into  England,  whence  he  passed  over  into  the 
Low  Countries,  and  travelled  into  Germany,  where  he  re- 
sided with  a  near  relation,,  M.Chambois,  the  plenipoten- 
tiary of  France  at  the  diet  of  Ratisbon.;    He  returned  tor 

1  Diet.  Hist.— Douglas's  Criterion,  p.  132,  fcc.  edit.  1807. 

*  DicLiiisL— Rees's  Cyclopaedia,  art.  Aerostation.  4 


•MONTMORT.  305 

'France  in  1699,  and  after  the  death  of  his  father,  who  left 

•  him  arv  ample  fortune,  devoted  his  talents  to  the  study  of 
« philosophy  and  the  mathematics,  under  the  direction  of  the 

celebrated  Malebranche,  to  whom  be  had,  -some  years  be- 
fore, felt  greatly  indebted  for  the  conviction  of  the  truth 

,of  Christianity,  by  perusing  bis  work  on  <*  The  Search  after 

-Truth."  ]n  1700  he  went  a  second  time  to  England,  and 
on  his  return,  assumed  the  ecclesiastical  habit,  and  was 
made  a  canon  in  the  church  of  Notre- Dame,  at  Paris. 
.About  this  time  be  edited,  at  his  own  expence,  the  works 
of  M.  Guisnde  on  '«  The  Application  of  Algebra  to  Geo- 
metry," and  that  of  Newton  on  the  "Quadrature  of  Curves." 
In  1703  he  published  his  "Analytical  Essay  ot)  Games  of 

-  Change,"  and  an  improved  edition  in  1714.  This  was  most 
favourably  received  by  men*  of  science  in  all  countries.    In 

'1715  hejsaid  a  third  visit  to  England,  for  the  purpose  6f 
observing  a  solar  eclipse,  and  was  elected  a  fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society,  to  which  learned  body  he  soon  afterwards 
transmitted  an  important  treatise  on  "  Infinite  Series," 
which  was  inserted  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  for 
the-  year  1717.  He  was  elected  an  associate  of  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris  in  1716,  and  died  at  the  early 
age  of  forty-one,  of  the  small-pox.  He  sustained  all  the 
relations  of  life  in  the  most  honourable  manner,  and  though 
subject  to  fits  of  passion,  yet  his  anger  soon  subsided,'  and 

'  be  was  ever  ashamed  of  the  irritability  of  his  temper.  Such 
was  his  steady  attention  that  he  could  resolve  the  most  dif- 
ficult problems  in  company,  and  among  the  noise  of  play- 
ful children.  He  was  employed  several  years  in  writing 
u  A  History  of  Geometry,"  but  he  did  not  live  to  com- 
plete it.1 

MONTUCLA  (John  Stephen),    a  celebrated  mathe- 
matician; was  born  at  Lyons  in  the  year  1725,  and  giving 

:  early  indications  of  a  love  of  learning,  was  placed  under  the 
instructions  of  the  Jesuits,'  with  whom  he  acquired*  an  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  the  ancient  and  modern  languages, 
and  some  knowledge  of  the  mathematics.     At  the  age  of 

•  sixtfeen  he  went  to  Toulouse  to  study  the  law,  arid  was  ad- 
mitted an  advocate,    though  without  much  intention  of 

'practising 'at  the  bar.  *  Having  completed  his  studies,  he 
wept  to  Paris,  cultivated  an  acquaintance  with  the  most 
distinguished  literary  characters,  and  it  was  owing  to  his 

<•  Moreru— Diet  Hwt.— *ee*'»  CyCk>p«dhi. 

Vol.  XXII.  X 


;  m  MONT.UCLi 

i 

intercourse  with  them,  that  lie  was  induced  to  undertake 
his  "  History  of  the  Mathematical  Sciences.19     But  in  the 

.  interim  he  published  new  editions,  with  additions  and 
improvements,  of  several  mathematical  treatises  which 
were  already  held  in  the  highest  estimation.  The  first  of 
these  was  "  Mathematical  Recreations,"  by  M.  Ozanam, 
which  has  been  since  translated  into  English,  atid  pub- 
lished in  London,  in  4  vols.  8vo.  To  all  the  works  which 
he  edited,  after  Ozanam' s,  he  gave  the  initials  of  his  name. 
He  also  contributed  bis  assistance  for  some  years  to  "  The 
French  Gazette ;'9  and  in  1755  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Berlin.  In  the  fol- 
lowing  year,  when  the  experiment  of  inoculation  was  about 
to  be  tried  on  the  first  prince  of  the  blood,  Montucla  trans- 
lated from  the  English  an  account  of  all  the  recent  cases 
of  that  practice,  which  had  been  sent  from  Constantinople, 

.by  lady  Mary  Wortley  Montague.  This  translation  he 
added  to  the  memoir  of  De  la  Condamine  on  the  subject. 
Previously  to  this  publication,  be  had  given  to  the  world 
his  "  History  of  Inquiries  relative  to  the  Quadrature  of  the 
Circle."  The  encouragement  which  this  met  with  from 
very  able  judges  of  its  merit,  afforded  him  great  encou- 
ragement to  apply  with  ardour  to  his  grand  design,  "  The 
History  of  the  Mathematics;99  and  in  1758  he  published 
this  "  History,'*  in  two  volumes,  4to,  which  terminates  with 
the  close  of  the  17th  century.  It  answered  the  expectation 
of  all  his  friends,  and  of  men  of  science  in  all  countries,  and 
the  author  was  instantly  elevated  to  a  high  rank  in  the 

.,  learned  world.  His  fame  was  widely  diffused,  and  he  was 
pressed  from  all  quarters  to  proceed  with  the  mathematical 
history  of  the  18th  century,  which  he  had  announced  for 
the  subject  of  ft  third  volume,  and  for  which  l\e  had  made 

.  considerable  preparations ;  but  he  was  diverted  from  his 
design,,  by  receiving  the  appointment  of  secretary  to  the 
Intendance  at  Grenoble.  Here  he  spent  his  leisure  hours 
chiefly  in  retirement,  and  in  scientific  pursuits.  In  1764, 
Turgot,  being  appointed  to  establish  a  colony  at  Cayenne, 
took  Montucla  with  him  as  his  "  secretary,"  to  which  was 

>  added  the  title  of  "  astronomer  to  the  king,9'  and  although 
he  returned  without  attaining  any  particular  object  with 
regard  to  the  astronomical  observations,  for  which  he  went 

'  out,  he  had  ai)  opportunity  of  collecting  some  valuable 
tropical  plants,  with  which  he  enriched  the  king9s  hot* 
Rouses  at  Versailles.    Soon  after  his  return,  be  was  ap~ 


MONTUC'LA.  set' 

pointed  chief  clerk  4n  a?  official  department,    similar  x<o,] 
that  known  in  this  country  by  the  name  of  ahe  "  Board  of, 
Wqrks,".  which  he  retained  till  the  place  was  abolished  in , 
1792,  when  he  was  reduced  to  considerable  pecuniary  era- , 
harrassments.     Under  the  pressure  of  these  circumstances, 
he  began  to  prepare  a  new  and  much  enlarged  edition  of 
his  "  History,"  which  he  presented  to  the  world  in  1799,, 
in  two  volumes,  quarto.     In  this  edition  are  many  impor- 
tant improvements;   and  many  facts,  which  were  barely, 
announced  in  the  former  impression,  are  largely  detailed . 
and  illustrated  in  this.     After  the  publication  of  these  two 
volumes,  the  author  proceeded  with  the  printing  of  the. 
third;  but  death  terminated  his  labours,  when  he  had  ar- 
rived at  the  336th  page.  .  The  remainder  of  the  volume,, 
and  the  whole  of  the  fourth,  were  printed  under  the  in- . 
spection  of  Lalande.     Montucla  had  been  a  member  of  the . 
National  Institute  from  its  original  establishment.    He  had 
obtained  various  employments  under  the  revolutionary  go- 
vernment, though  he  was  but  meanly  paid  for  his  labour, 
and  had  to  struggle  with  many  difficulties  to  furnish  his 
family  with  the  bare  necessaries  of  life.     At  length  he  was 
reduced  to  seek  the  scanty  means  of  support  by  keeping 
a  lottery-office,  till  the  death  of  Saussure  put  him  in  the. 
possession  of  a  pension  of  about  one  hundred  pounds  per 
annum,  which  he  enjoyed  only  four  months.     He  died  in 
December  1799,  in  the  75th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  amaij 
of  great  modesty,  and  distinguished  by  acts  of  generosity, 
and  liberality,  when  it  was  in  his  power.     He  was  also 
friendly,  cheerful,  and  of  very  amiable  manners. ! 

MOOR  (Karel  de),  an  excellent  portrait-painter,  was 
born. at  Ley  den,  in  1656,  and  at 'first  was  a  disciple  of  Gerard 
Douw,  and  afterwards  of  Abraham  Vanden  Tempel,  whose , 
death  compelled  him  to  return  to  Leyden  from  Amster- 
dam, where  he  studied  awhile  with  Francis  Mieris,  and  at 
last  went  to  Dort,  to  practise  with  Godfrey  Schalcken,  to 
whom  he  was  superior  as  a  designer ;  but  he  coveted  to 
learn  Schalcken's  manner  of  handling*     As  soon  as  Moor 
began  to  follow  his  profession,  the  public  acknowledged . 
his  extraordinary  merit;  and  he  took  the  most  effectual 
ipethod  to  establish  his  reputation,  by  working  with  a  much  > 
stronger  desire  to  acquire  fame,  than  to  increase  his  fortune. . 
He  painted  portraits  in  a  beautiful  style,  in  some  of  them, 

*  Hilt  of  tk*  Mathematics,  vol.  IV.— Rees'i  Cj^opadia. 


30*  MOOR 

imitating  the  taste,  the  dignity,  the  force,  and  the  de!t~ 
cacy  of  Vandyck;  and  in  others,  he  shewed  the  striking 
effect  and  spirit  of  Rembrandt.     In  his  female  figures,  the 
carnations  were  tender  and  soft ;  and  in  his  historical  com* 
positions,  the  air  of  bis  heads  had  variety  and  grace.     His 
draperies  are  well  chosen,  elegantly  disposed  in  very  natu- 
ral  folds,  and   appear  light,  flowing,  and  unconstrained. 
His  pictures  are  always  neatly  and  highly  finished ;  he  de- 
signed them  excellently,  and  grouped  the  figures  of  bis 
subjects  with  great  skill.     His  works  were  universally  ad- 
mired, and  some  of  the  most  illustrious  princes  of  Europe 
seemed  solicitous  to  employ  his  pencil.     The  grand  duke 
of  Tuscany  desired  to  have  the  portrait  of  DeMoor,  painted 
by  himself,  to  be  placed  in  the  Florentine  gallery ;  andv 
on  the  receipt  of  it,  that  prince  3ent  htm,  in  return,  a 
chain  of  gold,  and  a  large  medal  of  the  same  metal.     The 
Imperial  ambassador  count  Sinzendorf,  by  order  of  fair 
.master,  engaged  him  to  paint  the  portraits  of  prince  Eu- 
gene, and  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  on  horseback ;  and 
in   that  performance,  the  dignity  and  expression  of  the 
figures,  and  also  the  attitudes  of  the  horses,  appeared  s+ 
masterly,  that  it  was  beheld  with  admiration,  and  occa- 
sioned many  commendatory  poems,  in  elegant  Latin  verse, 
to  be  published  to  the  honour  of  the  artist ;  and  the  em- 
peror, on  seeing  that  picture,  created  De  Moor  a  knight 
of  the  empire*     He  died    in  1733,  in  his  eighty-second 
year. l 

MOOR  (Michael),  a  very  learned  divine  of  the  Roman 
catholic  persuasion,  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1640.  After 
being  taught  at  a  grammar-school  for  some  time,  he  was 
sent  to  France,  and  had  his  first  academical  learning  at  the 
college  of  Nantz,  whence  he  removed  to  Paris,  and  com- 
pleted his  studies  in  philosophy  and  divinity,  in  both  which 
he  attained  great  reputation,  as  he  did  likewise  for  his 
critical  skill  in  the  Greek  language.  He  taught  philoso- 
phy and  rhetoric  in  the  Grassin  college  for  some  years : 
but  at  length  returning  to  Ireland,  was,  with  considerable 
reluctance,  prevailed  upon  to  take  priest's  orders,  and 
had  some  preferment  while  the  popish  bishops  had  any  in- 
fluence. When  James  II.  came  to  Ireland,  Dr.  Moor  was 
recommended  to  him,  often  preached  before  him,  and  had 
influence  enough  to  prevent  his  majesty  from  conferring 

1  Pilkington. — D'Argenville,  vol.  Ilk 


MOOR.  30$ 

Trinity-college,  Dublin,  on  the  Jesuits,  to  which  he  had 
been  advised  by  his  confessor  father  Peters.     t)r.  Moor 
being  made  provost  of  this  college,  by  the  recommenda- 
.  tion  of  the  Roman  catholic  bishops,  was  the  means  of  pre* 
serving  the  valuable  library,  at  a  time  when  the  college 
was  a  popish  garrison,  the  chapel  a  magazine,  and  many  of 
the  charpbers  were  employed  as  prisons  for  the  protestants. 
But  th^  Jesuits  could  not  forgive  him  for  preventing  their 
gaining  the  entire  property  of  the  college,  and  took  ad- 
.  vantage  to  ruin  him  with  the  king,  from  a  sermon  he  preached 
.  before  James  II.  at  Christ  Church.     His  text  was,  Matt/ 
xv.  14.  "  If  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into 
the  ditch."     In  this  discourse  Dr.  Moor  had  the  boldness 
.to  impute  the  failure  of  the  king's  affairs  to  his  following 
too  closely  the  councils  of  the  Jesuits,  and  insinuated  that 
they  would  be  his  utter  ruin.     Father  Peters,  who  had  a 
defect  in  his  eyes,  persuaded  the  king  that  the  text  was 
levelled  at  his  majesty  through  his  confessor,  and  urged 
that  Moor  was  a  dangerous  subject,  who  endeavoured  to 
stir  up  sedition  among  the  people..   James  was  so  weak  as 
to  believe  all  this,  and  ordered  Dr.  Moor  immediately  to 
quit  his  dominions.     Moor  complied,  as  became  an  obe- 
dient subject,  but  hinted  at  his  departure,  "  that  he  only 
went  as  the  king's  precursor,  who  would  soon  be  obliged  to 
follow  him."     Moor  accordingly  went  to  Paris,  where  the 
reputation  of  his  learning  procured  him  a  favourable  re- 
.  qeption  ;  and  king  James,  after  the  battle  of  the  Boyne, 
.  followed  him,  as  he  had  predicted.     But  here  it  appears 
that  the  king  had  influence  enough  to  oblige  Moor  to  leave 
.  France  as  be  had  done  Ireland,  probably  by  misrepresenting 
his  conduct  to  the  Jesuits. 

Moor  now  went  to  Rome,  where  his  learning  procured 
•  him  very  high  distinction.     He  was  6rst  made  censor  of 
.  books,  and  then  invited  to  Montefiascone,  and  appointed 
•rector  of  a  seminary  newly    founded   by  cardinal   Mark 
;  Antony  Barbarigo,  and  also  professor  of  philosophy  and 
-Greek..  Pope  Innocent  XII.  was  so  much  satisfied  with 
his  conduct  in  the  government  of  this  seminary,  that  he 
contributed  the  sum  of  two  thousand  Roman  crowns  yearly 
^towards  its  maintenance;  and  Clement  XI.  had  such  a  high 
/opinion  of  Moor  that  he  would  have  placed  his  nephew 
jinder  his  tuition,  had  he  not  been  prevented,  as  was  sup- 
posed, by  the  persuasions  of  the  Jesuits.     On  the  death  of  ' 
James  IL  Dr.  Moor  was  invited  to  France,  and  such  was 


'310  M  O  OR. 

.  »  m  -      I  *     ft     . 

bis  reputation  there,  that  he  was  made  twice  rector  of  the 
university  of  Paris,  and  principal  of  the  college  of  Navarre, 
and  was  appointed  regius  professor  of  philosophy,  Greek, 

"  and  Hebrew.  He  died,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  at  his 
apartments  in  the  college* of  Navarre,  Aug.  22,  1726.  It 
is  evident  he  could  have  been  no  common  character,  who 
attained  so  many  honours  in  a  foreign  land.   *  His  writings, 

'  however,  are  perhaps  not  much  known.  One  of  them, 
"DeExistentiaDei,  et  human®  mentis  immortalitate,"  &c. 

'  published  at  Paris,  1692,  8vo,  is  said  by  Harris  to  have 
been  translated  into  English  by  Mr.  Blackmore,  perhaps  sir 
Richard,  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  find  this  work  in 
any  of  our  public  libraries.  Dr.  Moor  also  published  "Hor- 
tatio  ad  studium  linguae  Graecse  et  Hebraic*,"  Montefias- 
cone,  1700,  12mo;  and  "  Vera  sciendi  Methodus,"  Paris, 
1716,  8vo,  against  the  philosophy  of  Des  Cartes. l 

MOORE  (Edward),  an  English  poetical  and  miscella- 
neous writer,  was  the  grandson  of  the  rev.  John  Moore  of 
Devonshire,  one  of  the  ejected  non-conformists,  who  died 
Aug.  23,  1717,  leaving  two  sons  in  the  dissenting  ministry. 
Of  these,  Thomas,  the  father  of  our  poet,  removed  to 
Abingdon  in  Berkshire,  where  he  died  in  1721,  and  where 
Edward  was  born  March  22,  17.11-12,  and  for  some  time 

1  brought  up  under  the  care  of  his  uncle.  He  was  after- 
wards placed  at  the  school  of  East  Orchard  in  Dorsetshire, 
where  he  probably  received  no  higher  education  than  would 

•  qualify  him  for  trade.  For  some  years  he  followed  the  bu- 
siness of  a  linen-draper,  both  in  London  and  in  Ireland, 

*  but  with  so  little  success  that  he  became  disgusted  with  his 
.  occupatipn,  arid,  ps  be  informs  us  in  his  preface,  "  more 

from  necessity  than  inclination,7'  began  to  encounter  the 
vicissitudes  of  a  literary  life.  His  first  attempts -were  of 
the  poetical  kind,  which  still  preserve  his  name  among  the 
••  minor  poets  of  his  country.  In  1744,  he  published  his 
«.t*  Fables  for  the  Female  Sex/*  which  were  so  favourably- 
received  as  to  introduce  him  into  the  society  of  some  learned 
and  some  opulent  contemporaries.  The  bon.  Mr.  Pelhato 
was  one  of  his  early  patrons ;  and,  by  his  "  Trial  of  Selim/" 
he  gained  the  friendship  of  Jord  Lytteltpn,  who  felt  himself 
flattered  by  a  compliment  turned  with  much  ingenuity,  and 
decorated  by  wit  and  spirit.  But  as,  for  some  time,  Motire 
derived  no  substantial  advantage  from  patronage,  his  <chi$f 

1  Harris's  edition  of  Watt. 

*  *  1  •  ■  • 


MOORE.  311 

dej&endance  was  on  the  stage,  to  which,  within  five  yeari, 
he  supplied  three  pieces  of  considerable,  although  une-  • 
qual,  merit  "  The  Foundling,"  a  comedy,  which  was  first r 
acted  in  1748,  was  decried  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to 
the  "  Conscious  Lovers."  His  "  Oil  Bias,"  which  ap- 
peared in  1751,  met  with  a  more  severe  fate,  and,  not- 
withstanding the  sprightliness  of  the  dialogue,  not  altoge- 
ther unjustly.  "The  Gamester,"  a  tragedy,  first  acted' 
Feb.' 7,  1753,  was  our  author's  most  successful  attempt, 
and  is  still  a  favourite.  In  this  piece,  however,  he  deviated 
from  the  custom  of  the  modern  stage,  as  Lilio  had  in  his  - 
".  George  Barnwell,"  by  discarding  blank  verse ;  and  per* 
haps  nothing  short  of  the  power  by  which  the  catastrophe, 
engaged  the  feelings,  could  have  reconciled  the  audience 
to  this  innovation.  But  his  object  was  the  misery  of  the  life 
and  death  of  a  gamester,  to  which  it  would  have  been 
difficult  to  give  a  heroic  colouring ;  and  his  language  became 
what  would  be  most  impressive,  that  of  truth  aad  nature. 
Davies,  in  his  Life  of  Garrick,  seems  inclioed  to  share  the 
reputation  of  the  "  Gamester"  between  Moore  and  Gar- 
rick. Moore  acknowledges,  in  his  preface,  that  he  was  in 7 
debted  to  that  inimitable  actor  for  "  many  popular  pas- 
sages," and  Davies  believes  that  the  scene  between  Lew- 
son  and  Stukely,  in  the  fourth  act,  was  almost  entirely -Jus, 
because  he  expressed,  during  the  time  of  action,  uncom- 
mon, pleasure  at  the  applause  given  to  it  Whatever  may  . 
be  in  this  conjecture,  the  play,  after  having  been  acted  to 
crowded  houses  for  eleven  nights,  was  suddenly  with* 
drawn.  The  report  of  the  day  attributed  this  to  the  in- 
tervention of  the  leading  members  of  some  gaming  clubs* 
Davies  thinks  this  a  mere  report  "  to  give  more  conse- 
quence to  those  assemblies  than  they  could  really  boast." 
From  a  letter,  in  our  possession,  written  by  Moore  to  Dr. 
Warton,  it  appears  that  Garrick  suffered  so  much  from 
the  fatigue  of  acting  the  principal  character  as  to  require 
some  repose.  Yet  this  will  not  account  for  the  total  ne- 
glect, for  some  years  afterwards,  of  a  play,  not  only  por 
pular,  but  so  obviously  calculated  to  give  the  alarm  to  re- 
claimable  gamesters,  and  perhaps  bring  the  whole  gang 
into  discredit.  The  author  mentions,  in  his  letter  to  Dr* 
Warton,  that  he  expected  to  clear  about  four  hundred 
pounds  by  his  tragedy,  exclusive  of  the  profits  by  the  sale 
of  the  copy. 


312^  MOO  R&i 


K 


f|tis  asserted  by  Dr.  Johnson,  in  his  life  of  lord  Lyttel- 
ton,  that,  in  return  for  Moore's  elegant  compliment,  "  The  ■ 
Trial  of  Selim,"  his  lordship  paid  him  with  "  kind  words,  • 
which,  as  is  common,  raised  great  hopes,  that  at  last  were  ' 
disappointed/9     It  is  possible,  however,  that  these  hope*- 
were  of  another  kind  than  it  was  in  his  lordship's  power  to  ' 
gratify*;  and  it  is  certain  that  he  substituted  a  method  of r 
serving  Moore,  which  was  not  only  successful  for  a  consi- 
derable time,  but  must  have  been  agreeable  to  the  feelings  * 
ofadelicateand  independent  mind.  About  the  years  1751-2, 
periodical  writing  began  to  revive  in  its  most  pleasing  fornrr, 
but  had  hitherto  been  executed  by  men  of  learning  only. 
Lord  Lyttelton  projected  a.  paper,  in  concert  with  Dodsley,* 
which  should  unite  the  talents  of  certain  men  of  rank,  arid  t 
receive  such  a  tone  and  consequence  from  th&t  circum* -"* 
stance,  as  mere  scholars  can  seldom  hope  to  command  or  * 
attain.     Such  was  the  origin  of  the  "  World,'*  for  every! 
paper  of  which  Dodsley  stipulated  to  pay  Moore  three 
guineas,  whether  the  papers  were  written  by  him,   or  by 
the  volunteer  contributors.    Lord  Lyttelton,  to  render  this 
bargain  more  productive  to  the  editor,  solicited  and  ob- 
tained the  assistance  of  the  earls  of  Chesterfield,  Bath,  and 
Corke,  and  of  Messrs.  Walpole,  -Cambridge,  Jenyns,  and 
other  men  of  rank  and  taste,  who  gave  their  assistance, ' 
some  with  great  regularity,  and  all  so  effectually  as  to  roun- 
der the  "  World99  far  more  popular  than  any  of  *U  con*  ; 
temporaries. 

In  this  work,  Moore  wrote  sixty-one  papers,  in  a  style 
easy  and  unaffected,  and  treated  the  whims  and  follies  of' 
the  day  with  genuine  humour.    His  thoughts  are  often  orU: 
grnal,    and  his   ludicrous  combinations    argue  a  copious 
fancy.      Some  of  his  papers,    indeed,    are  mere  playful' 
exercises  which  have  no  direct  object  in  view,  but  in  ge*: 
neral,  in  bis  essays,  as  well  as  in  ail  his  wdrks,  -he  shews- 
himself  the  friend  of  morality  and  public  decency.     In  tbe; 
last  number,  the  conclusion  of  the  work  is  made  to  depend 
on  a  fictitious  accident  which  had  occasioned  the  author'*1 

i 

*  Of  this  Moore  was  not  always  sen-  know   that  Walpole  had  written  tba 

fibte;    Oo  one   occasion,    when   lord  "  Letters  to  the  Whigs,"  which,  in  bis 

Lyttelton  bestowed  a  small  place  on  zeal  for  Lyttelton,  he  had  undertaken. 

Bower,  to  which  oor  poet  thought  he  to  answer.     Horace,  however,  kept  his 

had  a  higher  claim,  he  behaved  in  such  own  secret,  and  performed  the  office  o£- 

a  manner  to  his  patron  as  to  occasion  mediator.  Walpole'*  Letters,  in  Worka^ 

a  coolness.    Horace   Walpole  under-  vol.  V.  '   \  k  ' 

took  to  reconcile  them.    Moore  did  not 


M  O  O  RI  31S 

death. .  When  the  papers  were  collected  into  volumes  Car 
a  teeonfd  edition,:  Moore  superintended  the  publication/ 
and  actually  died  white  this  last  number  was  in  the  press ; 
a  circumstance  which  induces  the  wish  that  death  may  be 
fess  frequently  included  among  the  topics  of  wit 

During  the  publication  of  the  World,  and  probably  be- 
fore, Moore  wrote  some  lighter  pieces  and  songs  for  the 
public  gardens.  What  his  other  literary  labours  were,  or 
whether  he  contributed  regularly  to  any  publications,  i* 
not  known.  A  very  few  weeks  before  his  death  he  pro* 
jected  a  Magazine,  in  which  Gataker  and  some  other  of 
his  colleagues  in  the  "  World9'  were  to  be  engaged:  .  His 
acknowledged  works  are  not  numerous,  consisting  only  of 
the  poems  here  noticed,  and  of  his  three  plays.  These 
were  published  by  bhn,  in  a  handsome  quarto  volume,  in 
1756,  by  subscription,  dedicated  to  the  duke  of  Newcastle,* 
brother  to  his  deceased  patron  Mr.  Pelham.  The  sub* 
scribers  were  very  numerous,  and  included  many  persons 
of  the  highest  rank  and  talents,  but  he  did  not  long  enjoy 
the  advantages  of  their  liberality.  He  died  Feb.  28,  1757, 
at  his  house  at  Lambeth,  of  an  inflammation  on  his  lungs, 
.  the  consequence  of  a  fever  improperly  treated. 

tin  1750,  be  married  Miss  Hamilton,  daughter  of  Mr. 
Charles  Hamilton,  table-decker  to  the  princesses ;  a  lady 
wbo  bad  herself  a  poetical  turn.     By  this  lady,  who  in 
1758  obtained  the  place  of  necessary-woman  to  the  queen's 
apartments,  and  who  still  survives,  he  bad  a  son  Edward, 
who  died  in  the  naval  service  in   1773.     Moore's  personal 
character  appears  to  have  been  unexceptionable,  and  his 
pleasing   manners  and    humble  demeanour  rendered  hi* 
society  acceptable  to  a  very  numerous  class  of  friends.  His 
productions  were  those  of  a  genius  somewhat  above  the 
common  ord£r,  unassisted  by  learning.     His  professed  ex- 
clusion of  Greek  and  Latin  mottoes  from  the  papers  of  the 
World  (although  tbey  were  not  rejected  when  sent),  in- 
duces us  to  think  that  he  had  little  acquaintance  with  the 
classics,  and  there  is  indeed  nothing  in  any  of  his  works 
that  indicates  the  study  of  a  particular  branch  of  science. 
When  he   projected  the  Magazine  above  mentioned,  he 
told  the  Wartons,  "  in  confidence,  that  he  wanted  a  dull 
plodding  fellow  of  one  of  the  universities,  who  understood 
JLratin  amd  Greek.** 

Of  his  poetry,  simplicity  and  smoothness  appear  to  be 
the   leading  features ;  bence  he  is  easily  intelligible,  and 


314  MOORS. 

consequently  instructive,  and  bis  "Fables"  bave  always 
been  popular.  All  his  pieces  are  of  the  light  kind,  pro- 
duced with  little  effort,  and  to  auswer  temporary  purposes. 
We  find  nowhere  indications  that  he  could  have  succeeded 
in  the  higher  species  of  poetry.  His  songs  bare  much 
originality  of  thought,  but  sometimes  a  looseness  of  ex- 
pression which  would  not  now  be  tolerated.  The  "  Trial 
of  Selim"  is  an  ingenious*  and  elegant  panegyric,  but  it 
ought  to  have  sufficed  to  have  once  versified  the  forms  of 
law.  The  "  Trial  of  Sarah  ***  alias  Slim  Sal/9  has  too 
much  the  air  of  a  copy.  He  ranks  but  low  as  a  writer  of 
odes,  yet  "  The  Discovery,"  addressed  to  Mr.  Pelbam, 
has  many  beauties,  and  among  those  the  two  last  stanzas 
may  be  safely  enumerated.1 

MOORE  (John),  an  eminent  English  prelate,  was  the 
son  of  Thomas  Moore  of  Market- Harboro  ugh  in  Leicester- 
shire, where .  he  was  born.  He  was  admitted  June  28, 
1 662,  of  Clare-ball  college,  Cambridge,  where  be  took  the 
degree  of  B.  A.  in  1665,  M.  A.  in  1669,  and  D.  D.  in  16$l. 
He  was  also  fellow  of  that  college,  and  afterwards  became 
chaplain  to  Heneage  Finch,  earl  of  Nottingham,  by  whose 
interest  he  rose  to  considerable  preferments,  and  in  parti* 
cular,  was  promoted  to  the  first  prebeodal  stall  in  the  ca- 
thedral church  of  Ely.  His  next  preferment  was  the  rec- 
tory of  St.  Austin's,  London,  to  which  he  was  admitted 
D6c.  3,  1687,  but  he  quitted  that  Oct  26,  1689,  on  bis 
being  presented  by  king  William  and  queen  Mary  (to  whom 
be  was  then  chaplain  in  ordinary)  to  the  rectory  of  St. 
Andrew's,  Holborn,  vacant  by  the  promotion  of  Dr.  Stil- 
lingfleet  to  the  see  of  Worcester.  On  the  deprivation  of 
Dr.  William  Lloyd,  bishop  of  Norwich,  for  not  taking  the 
oaths  to  their  majesties,  he  was  advanced  to  that  see,  and 
consecrated  July  5,  1691,  and. was  thence  translated  to 
Ely,  July  31,  1707,  in  which  he  remained  until  his  death. 
He  died  at  Ely-house,  in  Holborn,  July  31,  1714,  in  his 
sixty-eighth  year.  He  was  interred  on  the  north  side  of 
the  presbytery  of  his  cathedral  church,  near  his  predeces- 
sor bishop  Patrick,  where  an  elegant  monument  was  erected 
to  his  memory.  . 

This  divine  was,  after  his  advancement  to  the  episcopal 
dignity,  one  of  the  most  eminent  patrons  of  learning  and 

learned  men  in  his  time;  and  his  name  will  be  carried 

» 

1  Johnson  and  Chalmers's  English  ?eets,  edit.  1810. 


V 


M  O  ORE.  3t* 

*4)6wii  to  posterity,  not  only  by  his  sermons  published  by 
Dr.  Samuel  Clarke,  his  chaplain   (1715,  2  vols.  8vo),  but 

*  by  thg  curious  and  magnificent  library  collected  by  him, 
and  purchased  after  bis  death  by  George  I.  who  presented 
it  to  the  university  of  Cambridge.  Burnet  ranks  him 
amdng  those  who  were  an  honour  to  the  church  and  the 

'  age  in  which  they  lived.     He  assisted  him  (as  he  did  many 

*  learned  m£n)  from  his  valuable  library,  when  writing  his 
'History  of  the  Reformation.  Hie  contributed  also  to  Clark's 

Caesar,  and  to  Wilkins's  "  Ecclesiastes,"  by  pointing  out  a 
-multitude  of  celebrated  authors  who  deserved  notice  in  that 

*  useful,' but  now  much-neglected  work.  His  sermons  were 
held  in  such  estimation  as  to  be  translated  into  Dutch,  and 
published  at   Delft  in  1700.     His  library,   consisting  of 

"30,000  volumes,  fills  up  the  rooms  on  the  north  and  west , 
sides  of  the  court  over  the  philosophy  and  divinity  schools, 
and  is  arranged  in  26  classes.    It  ought  not  to  be  omitted 
that  his  present  majesty  gave  2000/.  towards  fitting  up'thi* 
library.1 

MOORE  (John),  a  medical  and  miscellaneous  writer, 

5  was  the  son  of  the  rev.  Charles  Moore,  a  minister  of  the 

-English  church  at  Stirling,  in  Scotland,  where  this,  his  only 
surviving  son,  was  born  in   1730.      His  father  dying  in 

-1735,  his  mother,  who  was  a  native  of  Glasgow,  and  had 

*  some  property  there,  removed  to  that  city,  and  carefully 
^superintended  the  early  years  of  her  son  while  at  school 

and  college.  Being  destined  for  the  profession  of  medi- 
cine, he  was  placed  under  Mr.  Gordon,  a  practitioner  of 
pharmacy  and  surgery,  and  at  the  same  time  attended  such 

•ibedtcal  lectures  as  the  college  of  Glasgow  at  that  time 
afforded,  which  were  principally  the  anatomical  lectiires  of 

t  Dtf.  Hamilton,  and  those  on  the  practice  of  physic  by  Dr. 
Cullen,  afterwards  the  great  ornament  of  the  medical 
school  of  Edinburgh.  Mr.  Moore's  application  to  his  stu- 
dies must  have  been  more  than  ordinarily  successful,  as  we 

-find  that  hi  1747,  when  only  in  his  seventeenth  year,'  he 

-went  to  the  continent,  under  the  protection  of  the  duke  of 
Argyle,  and  was  employed  as  a  mate  in  one  of  the  military 
hospitals  at   Maestricht,    in  Brabant,   and  afterwards  at 

-Flushing.     Henoe  he  was  promoted  to  be  assistant  to  thfe 

<  surgeon  of  the  Coldstream  regiment  of  foot  guards,  com- 

»  * 

.    J  Bentham's  Ely.— Birch's  Life  of  Tillotson. — Burnet's  History  of  the  Refor- 
*  roation,  vol.  Ill,  p.  4<v— aod  Own  Times  passim*— Cole's  MS  Atb*  Cantab,  in 
'Mus,  Britan*       * 


31.6  MOORE. 

jganded  by  general  Brad  dock,  and  after  remaining  durirvg' 
the  winter  of  1748  with  this  regiment  at  Breda,  came  to 
England  at  the  conclusion  of  the  peace.  .  At  London  he 
resumed  his  medical  studies  under  Dr.  Hunter,  and  soon 
after  set  out  for  Paris,  where  be  obtained  the  patronage, of 
the  earl  of  Albemarle,  whom  be  had  known  in  Flanders, 
and  who  was  now  English  ambassador  at  the  court  of 
France,  and  immediately  appointed  Mr.  Moore  surgeon  to 
his  household.  In  this  situation,  although  be  had  an  qp* 
portunity  of  being  with  tbe  ambassador,  he  preferred  to 
lodge  nearer  the  hospitals,  and  other  sources  of  instruc- 
tion, with  which  a  more  distant  part  of  tbe  capital  abounded, 
«nd  visited  lord  Albemarle's  family  only  when  his  assistance 
was  required.  After,  residing  two  years  in  Paris,  it  was 
proposed  by  Mr.  Gordon,  wha  was  not  insensible  to  the 
assiduity  and  improvements  of  bis  former  pupil,  that  be 
should  return  to  Glasgow,  and  enter  into  partnership  with 
him.  Mr.  Moore,,  by  the  advice  of  his  friends,  accepted 
the  invitation,  but  deemed  it  proper  to  take  London  ill  bis 
way,  and  while  there,  went  through  a  course  under  Dr. 
Srpellie,  then  a  celebrated  accoucheur.  On  his  return  to 
Glasgow,  he  practised  there  during  the  space  of  two  years, 
but  when  a  diploma  was  granted  by  tbe  university  of  that 
city  to  his  partner,  now  Dr.. Gordon,  who  cbose  to  pre? 
scribe  as  a  physician  alone,  Mr.  Moore  still,  continued  to  act 
as  a  surgeon  ;  and,  as  a  partner  appeared  to  be  necessary, 
be  cbose  Mr.  Hamilton,  professor  of  anatomy,  as  his.  asso- 
ciate. Mr.  Moore  remained  for  a  considerable  period. at 
Glasgow ;  but  when  he  had  attained  his  fortieth  year,  aa 
incident  occurred  that  gave  a  new  turn  to  his  ideas,  and 
opened  new  pursuits  and  situations  to  a  mind  naturally 
active  and  inquisitive.  James  George,  duke  of  Hamilton, 
a  young  noblemau  of  great  promise, .  being  affected  with  a 
.consumptive  disorder,,  in  1 769,  he .  was  attended  by  Mr. 
Moore,  who  has  always  spoken  of  this  youth  in  terms,  of 
the  highest  admiration;  hut,  as  bis  malady  baffled  all  the 
efforts  of  medicine,  be  yielded  to  its  pressure,  after  a  tin* 
gering  illness,  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  bis  age.  This  event, 
which  Mr.  Moore  recorded,  together  with  the  extraordinary 
endowments  of  his  patient,  on  bis  tomb  in  the  burying- 
.place  at  jElamilton,  led  to  a  more  intimate  connection  with 
this  noble  family.  The  late  duke  of  Hamilton,  being,  like 
his  brother,  of  a  sickly  constitution,  his  mother,  .the  duchess 
•f  Argyle,  determined  that  he  should  travel  in  company 


MOORE.  S17 

with  som$  gentleman,  who  to  a  knowledge*  of  medicine 
added  an   acquaintance  with  the  continent.     Both  these 
qualities  were  united  in  the  person  of  Dr.  Moore,  who  by 
this  time  had  obtained  the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  uni*- 
versity  of  Glasgow.     They  accordingly  set  out  together;, 
rfrid'sperit  a  period  of   no  less  than   five   years   abr6ad; 
during  which  they  visited  France;  Italy,  Switzerland,  and 
Germany.     On  their  return,  in  1778,   Dr.  Moore  brought 
his  family  from  Glasgow  to  London  ;  and  in  the  course  of 
the  next  year  appeared  the  fruits  of  his  travels,  in  |4?  A  View 
of  Society  and  Manners  in  France,  Switzerland,  and  G6f- 
ihany,"  in  2  vols.  8vo.     Two  years  after,  in  1781,  he  pub- 
lished a  continuation  of  the  same  work,  in  two  additional 
volumes,  entitled  "  A  View  of  Society  and  Mariners  in 
Italy.**     Having  spent  so  large  a  portion  of  his  time  either 
in  Scotland  or  on  the  continent,  he  could  not  expect  sud- 
denly to  attain  an  extensive  practice  in  the  capital ;  nor 
indeed  was  he  much  consolted,  unless  by  his  particular 
friends.     With  a  view,  however,  to  practice,  he  published 
in  1785,  his  "  Medical  Sketches,"  a  work  which  was  fa- 
vourably received,  but  made  no  great  alteration  in  his  en- 
gagements; and  the  next  work  he  published  was  "Zefcfco," 
a  novel,    which   abounds   with   many  interesting  events, 
arising  from  uncontrouled  passion  on  the  part  of  a  darling 
son,  and  unconditional  compliance  on  that  of  a  fond  mo- 
ther.   While  enjbying  the  success  of  this  novel,  which  was 
very  considerable,  the  French  revolution  began  to  occupy 
the  minds  and  writings  of  the  literary  world.     Dr.  Mbore 
happened  to  reside  in  France  in  1792,  and  witnessed  many 
of  the  important  scenes. of  that  eventful  year,  but  the  mas- 
sacres of  September  tending  to  render  a^restdence  in  Paris 
highly  disagreeable,  he   returned  to  England;  and  soon 
after  his  arrival,  began  to  arrange  his  materials,  and  in 
179.5,  published  "  A  View  of  the  Causes  and  Progress  of 
the  French  Revolution,"  in  2  vols.  Svo,  dedicated  to  the 
Duke  of  Devonshire.     He  begins  with  the  reign  of  Henry 
IV.  and  ends  with  the  execution  of  th£  royal  family.     In 
1796  appeared  another  novel,  "  Edward  :  various  Views  of 
Human  Nature,  taken  from  Life  and  Manners  chiefly  in 
England."     In    J800,    Dr.  Moore  published  .'his  "  Mor- 
daunt,"  being  lt  Sketches  of  Life,  Characters,  and  Manners 
in  various  Countries;  including  the  Memoirs  of  a  French 
Lady  of  Quality,"  in  2  vols.  Svo.     This  chiefly  consists  of 
a  series  of  letters,  written  by  u  the  honourable  John  Mor- 


3iS  WO  ORE. 

d^unt,"  while  confined  to  bis  couch  at  Vevfcy,  in  Switzeis 
land*  giving  an  account  of  what  he  had  seen  in  Italy,  Ger- 
many, France,  Portugal,  &c.  The  work  itself  copies  unn 
der  no  precise  head,  being  neither  a  romance,  nor.a  novel, 
nor  travels :  the  most  proper  title  would  perhaps  be  that, 
of  "  Recollections."  Dr.  Moore  was  one  of  the  first  to: 
notice  the  talents  of  his  countryman  the  unfortunate  Ro- 
bert Burns,  who,  at  his  request,  drew  up  ap  account  of, 
bis  life,  and  submitted  it  to  his  inspection. 

After  his  return  from  bis  third  and  last  journey  to  France,, 
be  resided  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  bis  bouse  in  Clif- 
ford-street, where  he  died  Feb.  20,  1802,  leaving  a. 
daughter  and  five  sons.  Dr.  Moore  was  a  man  of  conside-. 
derable  general  knowledge,  but  excelled  in  no  particular 
branch  of  science.  After  be  had  once  begun  bis  travels  as 
tutor,  he  assumed  the  character  of  a  man  of  wit  and  hu- 
mour,, both  which  entered  largely  into  the  composition  of 
his  subsequent  publications.  His  travels  were  at  one  time; 
very  popular,  on  account  of  the  frequent  recurrence  of 
scenes  of  dry  humour,  but  bis  constant  attempts  in  this, 
way  made  them  be  read,  more  for  sprigbtliness  of  narrative 
than  accuracy  of  information,  or  depth  of  remark.  Of  his 
novels,  "  Zeluco"  only  has  stood  its  ground. l 

MOORE  (Sir  John),  a  gallant  English  officer,  was  one 
*f  the  sons  of  the  preceding,  and  born  at  Glasgow,  Nov^ 
13A  1761,  and  was  educated  principally  on  the  coutinent,, 
while  his  father  travelled  with  the  duke  of  Hamilton,  who. 
in  1776  obtained  for  him  an  ensigncy  in  the  51st  regiment 
of  foot,  then  quartered  at  Minorca.  He  afterwards  obtained 
a  lieutenancy  in  the  82d,  in  which  he  served  in  America, 
during  the  war,  and  in  1783,  at  the  peace,  was  reduced 
with  his  regiment.  He  was  soon  after  brought  into  par- 
liament for  the  boroughs  of  Lanerk,  &c.  by  the  interest  of 
the  duke  of  Hamilton.  In  1787  or  1788  he  obtained  the 
majority  of  the  4th  battalion  of  the .  60th  regiment,  then, 
quartered  at  Chatham,  and  very  soon  after  negociated  an 
exchange  into  his. old  regiment,  the  51st.  In  1790  he 
succeeded,  by  purchase,  to,  the  lieutenant-colonelcy,  and 
went  the  following  year  with  his  regiment  to  Gibraltar. 
After  some  other  movements  he  was  sent  to  Corsica,  wher$ 
general  Charles  Stuart  having  succeeded  to  the  command 
of  the  army  in  1794,  appointed  colonel  Moore  to  command 

"»  Gent.  Mas.  &c. 


MOORE.  31* 

the  reserve.  Here  he  particularly  distinguished  himself  at 
the  siege  of  Calvi,  and  received  his  first  wound  in  storming 
the  Mozzello  fort.  These  operations  made  Moore's  cha- 
racter known  to  general  Stuart,  and  a  friendship  com- 
'  menced,  which  continued  during  the  general's  life ;  and 
the. situation  of  adjutant-general  in  the  army  in  Corsica 
becoming  vacant  at  this  time,  he  bestowed  it  on  his  friend 
Moore,  and  ever  after  showed  him  every  mark  of  confidence 
and. esteem.  * 

In  consequence  of  a  disagreement  with  the  viceroy,  who 
had  occasioned  the  recall  of  general  Stuart,  colonel  Moore 
arrived  in  England  in  Nor.  1795,  and  was  immediately  ap- 
pointed a  brigadief -general  in  the  West  Indies,  and  at- 
tached to. a  brigade  of  foreign  corps,  which  consisted  of 
Choiseul's  hussars,  and  two  corps  of  emigrants.  On  Feb. 
25,  1796,  he  received  an  order  to  take  charge  of,  and 
embark  with  general  Perryn's  brigade,  going  out  with  the 
expedition  to  the  West  Indies,  utider  sir  Ralph  Abercrom- 
bie ;  that  officer  having  unexpectedly  sailed  in  the  Ven- 
geance, 74,  and  left  his  brigade  behind.  General  Moore, 
.although  be  had  no. previous  intimation  that  he  was  to 
embark,  hurried  to  Portsmouth,  and  having  time  only  to 
prepare  a  few  necessaries,  sailed  for  the  West  Indies  with 
the  fleet  at  day- light  on  the  28th,  with  no  other  baggage 
than  a  small  portmanteau,  and  not  one  regiment  of  his  own 
brigade  was  in  the  fleet.  On  his  .arrival  atBarbadoes,  on 
the  13th  of  April,  1796,  having  had  an  opportunity  of  wait- 
ing on  the  commander-in-chief,  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie, 
that  sagacious  and  attentive  observer  very  soon  distin- 
guished him,  and  in  the  course  of  the  operations  against 
St.  Lucie,  which  immediately  followed,  employed  him  in 
every  arduous  and  difficult  service  which  occurred.  Hp 
had,  in  particular,  opportunities,  during  the  siege  of  Mornp 
Fortun£e  at  St.  Lucie,  which  lasted  from  the  26th  of  April 
to  the  same  day  in  May,  of  eminently  distinguishing  him- 
self; and  his  conduct,  as  sir  Ralph  expressed  in  his  public 
orders,  was  the  admiration  of  the  whole  army.  Sir  Ralph, 
immediately  on  the  capitulation,  bestowed  the  command 
and  government  of  the  island  on  general  Moore,  whp  did 
all  he  could  to  induce  sir  Ralph  to  keep  him  with  the  army, 
and  employ  him  in  the  reduction  of  the  other  islands,  but 
without  effect.  Sir  Ralph,  in  a  manner,  forced  this  imr 
portant  command  upon  him,  at  the  same  time  giving  him 
the  most  flattering  reasons  for  wishing  him  to  accept  of  it* 


520  MOO  RE. 

The '  admiral  and  general  sailed  Atom  St  Lucie  on  the 
5d  of  June,  leaving  brigadier-general  Moore  in  a  situation 
which  required,  from  what  remained  to  be  done  in  such  a 
climate,  perhaps  more  military  talent,  and  a  greater  de- 
gree of  exertion  and  personal  risk,  than  even  there  had 
been  occasion  for  during  the  reduction  of  the  island;  for, 
although  the  French  commanding  officer,  and  the  principal 
post  in  the  islaud,  had  surrendered,  numerous  bands  of 
armed  negroes  remained  in  the  woods ;  yet  he  at  length 
succeeded  in  completely  reducing  these.  Having,  how* 
ever,  had  two  narrow  escapes  from  violent  attacks  of  yellow 
•  fever,  the  last  rendered  it  necessary  that  he  should  be  re- 
lieved from  the  command  of  the  island,  and  he  returned  to 
England  in  the  month  of  July  or  August  1797.  In  Nov. 
following,  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  having  been  appointed 
commander  of  the  forces  in  Ireland,  desired  that  brigadier- 
general  Moore  might  be  put  upon  the  staff  in  that  country, 
which  was  done,  and  he  accompanied  sir  Ralph  to  Dublin 
on  the  2d  day  of  December  1797.  During  the  period  im- 
mediately preceding  the  rebellion  in  1798,  Moore  had  an 
important  command  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  which  was 
very  disaffected,  and  was  also  the  quarter  where  the  enemy 
were  expected  to  make  a  landing.  His  head-quarters  were 
at  Bandon,  and  bis  troops,  amounting  to  3000  men,  were 
considered  as  the  advanced  corps  of  the  south.  When 
the  rebellion  broke  out,  he  was  employed  first  under  ma- 
jor-general Johnstone,  at  New  Ross,  where  the  insurgents 
suffered  much,  and  immediately  afterwards  was  detached 
towards  Wexford,  at  that  time  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels. 
He  bad  on  this  occasion  only  the  60th  yagers,  or  sharp 
'shooters,  900  light  infantry,  50  of  Hompesch's  cavalry, 
-and  six  pieces  of  artillery.  With  thesg  he  had  not  marched 
above  a  mile  before  a  large  body  of  rebels  appeared  .on  the 
road,  marching  to  attack  him.  He  had  examined  the 
•ground,  as  well  as  the  short  time  would  allow,  in  the 
morrting,  and  thus  was  able  to  form  his  men  to  advantage. 
-The  rebels  attacked  with  great  spirit,  but,  after  an  ob- 
stinate contest,  were  driven  from  the  field,  and  pursued 
with  great  loss.  They  amounted  to  about  6000  men,  and 
were  commanded  by  general  Roche,  a  priest.  After  the. 
action,  the  two  regiments  under  lord  Dalhousie  arrived 
from  Duncannon  fort  It  then  being  too  late  to  proceed 
to  Taghmoue,  which  was  his  intention,  the  brigadier  took 
post  for  the  night  on  the  ground  where  the  action  began* 


MOORE,  321 

Next  day  on  his  march  he  was  met  by  two  men  from  Wex- 
ford with  proposals  from  the  rebels  to  lay  down  their  arms, 
on  certain  conditions.  As  general  Moore  had  no  power  to 
treat,  he  made  no  answer,  but  proceeded  on  to  Wexford, 
.which  he  delivered  from  the  power  of  the  rebels,  who  bad 
piked  or  shot  forty  of  their  prisoners  the  day  before,  and 
intended  to  have  murdered  the  rest  if  they  had  not  been 
.thus  prevented. 

Brigadier-general  Moore  continued  to  serve  in  Ireland* 
where  he  succeeded  to  the  rank  of  major-general,  and  had 
a  regiment  given  him,  until  the  latter  end  of  June  1799, 
when  he  was  ordered  to  return  to  England  to  be  employed 
in  the  expedition  under  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie,  which 
.sailed  August  13,  and  was  destined  to  rescue  Holland  from 
the  tyranny  of  the  French  government;     The  general  re- 
sult, owing  to  circumstances  which  could  not  be  foreseen* 
was  unfavourable ;  but  the  English  troops  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  displaying  the  greatest  valour,  and  none  were 
more  distinguished  than  those  under  the  more  immediate 
command  of  general  Moore,  who,  after  being  twice  wound- 
ed, in  the  hand,  and  in  the  thigh,  received  a  musket-ball 
through  his  face,  by  which  he  was  disabled,  and  was  brought 
from  the  ground  with  some  difficulty.    He  was  now  carried 
back  to  his  quarters,  a  distance  often  miles,,  and  as  soon 
as  he  could  be  moved,  he  was  taken  to  the  Helder,  where 
be  embarked  on  board  the  Amethyst  frigate,  and  arrived 
at  the  Nore  on  the  24th ;  from  thence  he  proceeded  to 
•London.     Soon  after  his  return  to  England  from  the  Hel- 
der, a  second  battalion  was  added  to  the  52d  regiment,  of 
which  the  command  was  bestowed  on  him  by  the  king,  in 
the  most  gracious  manner.    Being  ot  an  excellent  consti- 
tution, and  temperate  habits,  his  wounds  closed  in  the 
course  of  five  or  six  weeks.     He  joined  his  brigade  at 
Chelmsford  on  the  24th  of  December,  1799.    In  the  early 
part  of  1 800  it  had  been  intended  to  send  a  body  of  troops 
to  the  Mediterranean  under  sir  Charles  Stuart ;  he  wrote 
.to  general  Moore,  and  proposed  to  him  to  serve  under  him, 
which  was  accepted  with  the  greatest  pleasure.     It  was  at 
first  intended  that  sir  Charles  should  take  out  of  England 
16,000  men,  but  it  was  afterwards  found  that  the  regiments 
.  allotted  for  this  service,  and  which  had  been  part  of  the 
expedition  to  Holland,  were  insufficient,  and  only  amounted 
to   10,000  effective.     About  the  middle  of  March,  the 
.first  division,  amounting  to  5000  men,  embarked  under 
Vol.  XXII.  Y 


322  MOORE. 

•major-general  Pigot.  At  this  time  a  change  took  place  in 
the  plan  of  the  expedition  ;  sir  Charles  had  some  disagree- 
ment with  ministers!  and  resigned  his  situation..  .Sir  Ralph 
Abercrombie  was  appointed  to  the  command,  and  major- 
general  Moore  was  named  as  pne  of  his  major-generals, 
with  Hutchinson  and  Pigot,  who  sailed  about  the  end  of 
April  with  the  .5000  men.  There  was  little  opportunity 
during  this  expedition,  the  success  of  which  was  prevented 
by  various  unforeseen  occurrences,  for  any  exertions  in 
which  general  Moore  could  distinguish  himself,  until,  the 
•armies  being  ordered  to  separate,  his  troops  were  ordered 
to  go  to  Egypt  under  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie.  Having  ar- 
rived at  Malta,  major-general  Moore  was  sent  to  Jaffa  to 
visit  the  Turkish  army,  and  form  a  judgment  as  to  what 
aid  was  to  be  expected  from  it;  but  the  result  being  un- 
favourable, sir  Ralph  determined  to  land  in  the  bay  of 
Aboukir,  and  march  immediately  upon  Alexandria.  Any 
satisfactory  detail  of  this  memorable  expedition  would  ex- 
tend this  article  too  far ;  we  shall  therefore  confine  our- 
selves to  that  part  in  which  major-general  Moore  was  more 
particularly  concerned.  As  soon  as  the  landing  was  begun, 
be,  at  the  head  of  the  grenadiers  and  light  infantry  of  the 
40th,  with  the  23d  and  28th  regiments  in  line,  ascended 
the  sand-hill.  They  did  not  fire  a  shot  until  they  gained 
the  summit,  when  they  charged  the  enemy,  drove  them, 
and  took  four  pieces  of  cannon,  with  part  of  their  horses. 
The  French  retreated  to  the  border  of  a  plain,  where  ge- 
neral Moore  halted,  as  upon  the  left  a  heavy  fire  of  mus- 
quetry  was  kept  up.  Brigadier-general  Oakes,  with  the 
left  of  the  reserve,  consisting  of  the  42d  Highlanders,  the 
58th  regiment,  and  the  Corsican  rangers,  landed  to  the 
left  of  the  sand-hill,  and  were  attacked  by  both  infantry 
and  cavalry,  which  they  repulsed  and  followed  into  the 
plain,  taking  three  pieces  of  artillery.  The  guards  and 
part  of  general  Coote's  brigade  landed  to  the  left  of  the 
reserve;  they  were  vigorously  opposed,  but  repulsed  the 
enemy,  and  followed  them  into  the  plain*  The  want  of 
cavalry  and  artillery  (for  it  was  some  time  before  the  guns 
that  were  landed  could  be  dragged  through  the  sand)  saved 
•the  enemy  from  being  destroyed.  This  was  one  of  the 
most  splendid  instances  of  British  intrepidity  that  perhaps 
ever  happened.  The  enemy  had  eight  days  to  assemble 
and  prepare,  and  the  ground  was  extremely  favourable  to 
them.    The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  considerable,  that  of 


MOORE  «** 

the  British  amounted  to  600  killed  mud  wounded,  of  which 
the  reserve  lost  400-  In  the  odurse  of  the  afternoon  the 
rest  <rf the  army  landed,  and  the  whole  moved  forwards 
Cftupl^  of  miles,  where  they  took  post  for  the  night. 

Oa  the  morning  of  the  9th,  major-general  Moore  and 
KeuteiraoUeolonel  Aiistruther,  the  quarter-master-general* 
atent  forward  with  the  92d  Highlanders,  the  Corsica* 
rangers,  and  some  cavalry,  to  look  fora  new  position.  The 
country  was  unequal,  sandy,  and  thickly  interspersed  with 
palm  rind  date  trees.  He  posted  the  92d  at  a  place  about 
two  miles  in  front,  where  there  was  a  small  redoubt,  and 
where  the  space  became  more  narrow  than  any  where  else, 
by  the  sea  and  lake  Madie  running  up  on  each  side.  .  He 
then  went  forward  with  the  cavalry,  until  they  were  met 
by  a  strong  patrole  of  the  enemy,  on  which  they  retired* 
On  reporting  to  sir  Ralph,  he  directed  major-general  Moore 
to  take  post  with  the  reserve  on  the  ground  where  he  had 
placed  the  92d;  by  noon  he  had  taken  possession  of  the 
post  with  the  reserve,  and  placed  his  out- posts.  On  the 
IGth  there  was  some  skirmishing  with  the  out-posts  of  the 
reserve  and  the  enemy's  cavalry.  The  main  body  of  the 
army  was  detained  in  their  post-position  till,  by  the-exer- 
taoas  of  the  navy,  the  stores  and  provisions  were  landed 
and  forwarded  to  them.  On  the  11th  sir  Ralph  went  to 
the  reserve,  the  brigade  of  guards  moved  forward,  and 
took  post  half  way  between  them  and  the  rest  of  the  army. 
The  lake  Madie  was  ordered  to  be  examined,  with  a  view 
io  the  practicability  of  conveying  the  army  stores  by  it, 
which  it  was  afterwards  found  could  be  done.  On  the  1 2th 
the  army  moved  forward  in  two  columns,  each  composed 
of  a  wing.  The  reserve,  in  two  colttmas,  formed  the  ad- 
vanced guard  to  each  column.  The  enemy's  cavalry  re- 
tired, skirmishing  as  the  army  advanced.  The  army  halted 
at  a.  tower  tihat  they  found' evacuated,  from  the  top  of  which 
*  body  of  infantry  was  seen  advancing.  The  line  wafs 
instantly  formed,  and  the  army  advanced  with  the  utmost 
regularity  and  steadiness.  The  enemy,  on  seeing  this 
movement,  first  halted,  and  afterwards  retired  to  some 
feeights  wbicfc  terminated  a  plain*  where  the -British  army 
took  post  for  the  night,  and  lay  on  their -arms.  Maj  ou- 
tgeneral Moore  had  the  direction  of  the  advanced  posts-; 
Mid  the  90th  and  92d  regiments,  though  not  belonging  to 
the  reserve,  were  placed  under  his  orders  for  the  night. 

The  put- posts  of  the  enemy  and  the.  advanced  gnard  <rf 

y  2 


3M  MOORE. 

die  British  Vfere  so  near  each  other,  (hat  it  was  impossible 
that. either  army  could  move  without  bringing  on  a  general 
action.  At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  13th  the 
army  moved  forward  in  two  columns  from  the  left,  each 
composed  of  a  line.  The  reserve,  in  one  column  from  the 
left,  marched  on  the  right  of  the  other  two,  to  cover  the 
flank.  Sir  Ralph's  intention  was  to  attack  the  enemy'* 
right,  and,  if  possible,  to  turn  it.  The  90th  and  92d  re- 
giments formed  the  advanced  guards  to  the  two  columns 
of  the  army,  and,  having  got  too  far  a-bead  of  the  co- 
lumns, were  attacked  by  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  and 
suffered  severely  before  the  columns  could  come  to  their 
support.  These  two  regiments,  however,  maintained  their 
ground,  and  defeated  a  body  of  cavalry  that  attempted  to 
charge  them.  The  action  now  became  general  along  the 
line;  the  French,  being  forced  back,  retreated,  covered 
by  a  numerous  artillery,  halting  and  firing  wherever  the 
ground  favoured  them.  The  British  army  advanced  ra- 
pidly without  artillery,  as  their  guns,  being  dragged  through 
sand  by  the  seamen,  could  not  keep  up  with  the  infantry. 
The  reserve  remained  in. column  on  the  right  flank  cover- 
ing the  two  lines,  and  though  mowed  down  by  the  enemy's 
cannon  in  front,  and  exposed  to  musketry  from  hussars  and 
light  infantry  on  their  flank,  continued  to  move  forward 
with  such  steadiness  and  regularity,  that  at  any  time  du- 
ring the  action  and  pursuit,  they  could  have  been  wheeled 
to  a  flank  without  an  interval.  The  two  lines  advanced 
with  equal  order  until  they  reached  a  rising  ground,  where 
there  were  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  building  of  considerable 
extent ;  from  this  height  they  saw  the  enemy  retreating  in 
confusion  through  a  plain,  under  cover  of  the  fortified 
heights  in  front  of  Alexandria.  Sir  Ralph  followed  them 
into  the  middle  of  the  plain,  where  a  consultation  was 
held,  and  it  was  then  intended  that  general  Hutchinson, 
with  part  of  the  second  line,  which  had  been  least  engaged, 
should  attack  the  enemy's  right,  while  major-  general 
Moore,  with  the  reserve  supported  by  the  guards,  at- 
tacked their  left  near  the  sea. 

General  Hutchinson  had  a  considerable  circuit  to  make 
.to  get, to  the  ground  where  he  was  to  make  his  attack,  and 
the  attack  of  the  reserve  was  to  be  regulated  by  his.  When 
be  got  to  his  ground,  the  position  of  the  French  was  found 
to  be  so  strongly  defended  by  a  numerous  artillery,  and 

covered  besides  by  the  guns  on  the  fortified  height*  sear 


M  O  ORE.  .  32S 

Alexandria,  that  the  attempt  was  given  up,  and  ad  the 
army  were  in  their  present  position  exposed  to  the  enemy's 
cannon  without  being  able  to  retaliate,  a  position  on  the 
height  in  the  rear  was  marked  out,  to  which  the  army  fell 
back  as  the  evening  advanced.  This  severe  action  cost  the 
British  army  1 300  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  situation 
of  the  British  army  at  this  period  was  certainly  a  very  cri- . 
tical  one,  as  it  was  quite  evident  that  government  had  been 
deceived  in  their  estimate  of  the  French  forces.  Sir  Ralph, 
therefore,  was  well  aware  of  the  difficult  task  he  bad  to 
perform.  The  camp  of  the  British  was  about  four  or  five 
miles  from  Alexandria.  In  front  of  the  reserve,  which 
formed  the  right  of  the  army,  was  a  very  extensive  ancient 
ruin,  which  the  French  called  Caesar's  camp ;  it  was  twenty 
or  thirty  yards  retired  from  the  right  flank  of  the  redoubt, 
and  commanded  the  space  between  the  redoubt  and  toe 
sea.  In  this  redoubt  and  ruin  major-general  Moore  had 
posted  the  28th  and  58th  regiments.  On  the  21st  the 
attack  was  made  by  the  French,  who  were  driven  back  by 
his  troops,  but  he  received  a  shot  in  the  leg.  The  result, 
however,  was,  that  every  attack  the  French  made  was  re- 
pulsed with  great  slaughter.  In  the  early  part  of  the  ac- 
tion, and  in  the  dark,  some  confusion  was  unavoidable,  but 
wherever  the  French  appeared,  the  British  went  boldly 
up  to  them,  even  the  cavalry  breaking  in  had  not  in  the 
least  dismayed  them.  As  the  day  broke,  the  foreign  bri- 
gade, under  brigadier-general,  afterwards  sir  John  Stuart, 
who  fought  the  battle  of  Maida,  came  to  the  second  line  to 
the  support  of  the  reserve,  shared  in  the  action,  apd  be- 
haved with  great  spirit.  Day-light  enabled  major-general 
Moore  to  get  the  reserve  into  order,  but  there  was  a  great 
want  of  ammunition.  The  guns  could  not  be  fired  for  a 
very-considerable  time,  otherwise  the  French  must  have 
suffered  much  more  severely,  while  retreating  from  their 
different  unsuccessful  attacks,  than  they  did.  The  enemy's 
artillery  continued  to  gall  the  British  severely  with  shot  aud 
ahells,  after  the  infantry  and  cavalry  had  been  repulsed. 
The  British  could  not  return  a  shot.  Had  the  French  at- 
tacked again,  the  British  had  nothing  but  their  bayonets, 
which  they  unquestionably  would  have  used,  as  never  was 
an  army  more  determined  to  do  their  duty.  But  the  enemy 
bad  suffered  so  severely,  that  the.  men  could  not  be  got  to 
snake  another  attempt.  They  continued  in  front  at  a  dis- 
tant musket-shot,  until .  the  ammunition  for  the  English 


3ft  MOORE, 

» 
garis  wad  brought  up  to  enable  them  to  fir*,  whta  ttiey 
veiry  soon  retreated.     While  the  attacks  were  made  on  the 
British  right,  a  column  attacked  the  guards  oo  the  left  of 
the  reserve,  but  were  repulsed  with  lose.    The  French 
general,  Menou,  had  concentrated  the  greatest  part  of  the 
force  in  Egypt  for  this  attack ;  the  prisoners  stated  his, 
force  in  the  field  at  about  13,000  men,  of  whom  between 
three  and  four  thousand  were  killed  or  wounded.     The* 
British  arrtiy  lost  about  1300  men,  of  which  upwards  of 
500  belonged  to  the  reserve.    This  battle  commenced  at 
half  past  four  in  the  morning,  and  terminated  about  nine. 
The  French  made  three  different  attack*,  with  superior 
number*,  the'  advantage  of  cavalry,  and  a  numerous  and 
well<-served  artillery.    The  British  ih£autry  here  gave  a 
decided  ynrdof  "of  their  superior  firmness  and  hardihood. 
Sir  Ralph*  who  always  exposed  his  person  very  much,  in 
this  last  battle  carried  the  practice  perhaps  farther  than  he 
had  ever  done  before.    Major-general  Moore  met  him 
early  in  the  action,  close  in  the  rear  of  the  42d,  without 
any  of  the  officers  of  his  family ;  and  afterwards,  when  the 
French  cavalry  charged  the  second  time,  and  penetrated 
the  4£d,  major-general  Moore  saw  him  again  and  waved  to 
bim  to  retire,  but  he  was  instantly  surrounded  by  the 
bussarfe  \  he  received  a  cut  from  a  sabre  on  the  breast, 
which  penetrated  bis  clothes  and  just  grazed  the  flesb. 
He  received  a  shot  in  the  thigh,  but  remained  in  the  field 
until  the  battle  was  over,  when  he  was  conveyed  on  board 
the  Foudroyant.     Major-general  Moore,  at  the  close  of  the 
action,  had  the  home  killed  under  him  that  major  Hoaey- 
man  had  lent  him.     When  the  battle  was  over,  the  wound 
in  his  leg  became  so  stiff  and  painful,  that  as  sooa  as  he 
could  get  a  horse,  he  gave  the  command  of  the  reserve  to 
cefohet  Spencer,  and  retired  with  brigadier-general  Oakes* 
who  commanded  the  reserve  under  bim,  and  who  was 
wounded  in  the  leg  also,  to  their  teats  in  the  rear.     Bri- 
gadier-general Gates  was  wounded  nearly  at  the  same 
time,  and  in   the  same  part  of  the  leg  that  major-generai 
Moore  *as,  but  they  both  continued  to  head  the  reserve 
until  the  battle  was  over.     When  the  surgeon  bad  dressed 
their  wounds,  finding  that  they  must  be  some  time  iaca* 
pable  of  action,  they  returned  to  the  Diadem  troop-ship* 
Sir  Ralph  Abercrembte  died  of  his  wound  on  beard  the 
Fond  ray  ant  on  the  2&vh  day  of  March,  «ad  the  oommamd 
devolved  oa  ftutjor-geaenai  Hutchinson*    it  is  unnecessary 


her*  to  detail  Che  operation*  in  Egypt  (hat  followed  the 
battle  of  tbe  2 1st,  as  major-general  Moore  was  confined  on 
board  the  Diadem  with  his  wound  until, the  I  Oth  of  May* 
when  be  was  removed  to  Rosetta  for  the  benefit  of  a  change, 
of  air.     He  suffered  very  severely;  the  ball  had  passed 
between  tbe  two  bongs  of  his  leg ;  he  endured  a  long  con- 
finement and  much  torment,  from  inflammation  and  surgi- 
cal operations.  When  at  length  be  could  move  on  crutches,, 
and  was  removed  to  Rosetta,  where  he  got  a  house  on  the. 
banks  of  tbe  Nile,  agreeably  situated,  he  began  to  recover 
rapidly,  and  afterwards  continued  to  serve  in  the  army  of 
Egypt  until  after  tbe  surrender  of  Alexandria,  when  he 
returned  to  England,  where  he  received  the  honour  of 
knighthood,  and  the  order  of  the  bath.    On  the  renewal 
of  tbe  war,  the  talents  and  services  of  sir  John  Mooret 
pointed  him  out  as  deserving  of  the  most  important  com** 
mend.    It  was  not,  however, .  until  1 808  that  hip  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  chief  command  of  an  army  to  be  employed 
in  Spain,  and  Gallicia  or  the  borders  of  Leon  were  fixed 
upon  as  the  place  for  assembling  the  troops..    Sir  John  was 
ordered  to  send  the,  cavalry  by  land,  but  it  was  left  to  his 
own  discretion  to  transport  the  infantry  and  artillery  either 
by  sea  or  .land.     He  was  also  assured,  that  15,000  raea 
were  ordered  to  Corunna,  and  he  was  directed  tQ  give  such 
orders  to  sir  David  Baird,  thei?  commander,  as  would  most 
readily  effect  a  junction  of  the  whole  force.     Both,  how- 
ever, soon  discovered  that  little  reliance  could  be  placed 
on  the  Spaniards ;  and  they  had  not  got  far  into  the  coun- 
try before  their  hopes  were  completely  disappointed.     Sir 
John  Moore  soon  began  to  anticipate  the  result  which  fol- 
lowed.    In  the  mean  time  the  French  army  had  advanced,, 
and  taken  possession  of  the  city  of  Valladolid,  which  is  but 
twenty  leagues  from  Salamanca.     Sir  John  had  been  po- 
sitively informed  that  his  entry  into  Spain  would  be  covered, 
by  60  or  70,000  men  ;  and  that  Burgos  was  tbe  city  in- 
tended for  the  point  of  union  for  the  different  divisions  of 
the  British  army*    But  already  not  only  Burgos,  but  Val- 
ladolid,  was  in  possession  of  tbe  enemy ;  and  he  found 
himself  with  an  advanced  corps  in  an  open  town,  at  three 
inarches  distance  only  from  the  French  army,  without  even: 
a  Spanish  piquet  to  cover  his  front !     He  had  at  this  time, 
only  three  brigade*  of  infantry,  without  a  gun,  in  Salamanca.. 
The  remainder,  it  b  true,  were  moving  up  in  succession, 
but  tbe  whole  could  not  arrive  in  less  than  ten  days. 


i_» 


328  MOORE. 

At  this  critical  time  the  Spanish  main  armies,  instead  of 
being  united  either  among  themselves,  or  with  the  British, 
were  divided  from  each  other  almost  by  the  whole  breadth 
of  the  peninsula.  The  fatal  consequences  of  this  want  of 
union  were  but  too  soon  made  apparent;  Blake  was  de- 
feated, and  a  report  reached  sir  David  Baird  that  the 
French  were  advancing  upon  his  division  in  two  different 
directions,  so  as  to  threaten  to  surround  him.  He,  conse- 
quently, prepared  to  retreat  upon  Corunna ;  but  sir  John 
Moore,  having  ascertained  that  the  report  was  unfounded, 
ordered  sir  David  to  advance,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  form 
a  junction  with  him.  On  the  28th  of  November  he  re* 
ceived  information  that  there  was  now  no  artny  remaining, 
against  which  the  whole  French  force  might  be  directed, 
except  the 'British ;  and  it  was  in  vain  to  expect  that  they, 
even  if  they  had  been  united,  could  have  resisted  or 
checked  the  enemy.  Sir  John  Moore,  therefore,  deter* 
mined  to  fall  back  on  Portugal,  to  hasten  the  junction  of 
general  Hope,  who  had  gone  towards  Madrid,  and  he  or-. 
dered  sir  David  Baird  to  regain  Corunna  as  expeditiously 
as  possible;  and  when  he  had  thus  determined  upon  a 
retreat,  he  communicated  his  design  to  the  general  officers, 
who,  with  the  exception  of  general  Hope,  seemed  to  doubt 
%  the  wisdom  of  his  decision ;  he  would,  however,  have  car- 
ried it  into  execution,  if  be  had  not  been  induced,  by 
pressing  solicitations,  and  representations  of  encourage- 
ment, to  advance  to  Madrid,  which  he  was  told  not  only 
held  out,  but  was  capable  of  opposing  the  French  for  a 
considerable  length  of  time.  Sir  John,  therefore,  anxious 
to  meet  the  wishes  of  bis  troops,  by  leading  tbem  against 
the  enemy,  determined  to  attack  Soult,  the  French  general, 
who  was  posted  at  Saldanha,  by  which  he  thought  he  should 
draw  off  the  French  armies  to  the  north  of  Spain,  and  thus 
afford  an  opportunity  for  the  Spanish  armies  to  rally  and 
re-unite.  Soult  was  probably  posted  in  that  spot  with  so 
small  a  body  of  men  for  the  purpose  of  enticing  the  British 
army  farther  into  Spain,  while  Bonaparte,  in  person,  with 
his  whole  disposable  force,  endeavoured  to  place  himself 
between  the  British  army  and  the  sea.  At  length  the/  two 
armies  met ;  and  the  superiority  of  the  British  cavalry  was 
eminently  displayed  in  a  most  brilliant  and  successful  skir- 
mish, in  which  600  of  the  imperial  guards  of  Bonaparte, 
were  driven  off  the  field  by  half  the  number  of  British, 
leaving  55  killed  and  wounded,  and  70  prisoners,  among. 


MOORE.  M9 

whom  was  general  Le  Febre,  the  commander  of  the  im- 
perial guard. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  this  and  other  advantages  gained 
over  the  enemy,  a  retreat  was  become  indispensably  ne- 
cessary :  sir  John's  troops  did*  not  amount  to  more  than 
37,000,  while  the  French  on  the  lowest  calculation  were 
70,000,  and  so  closely  did  this  army,  under  Bonaparte, 
pursue  the  English,  that  the  distance  between  them  was 
scarcely  thirty  miles,  while  sir  John  was  rather  incommoded 
than  benefited  by  the  Spanish  troops,  and   the  Spanish 
peasantry  offered  no  assistance  to  bis  troops,  harassed  by 
fatigue,  and  in  want  of  every  necessary.    The  difficulties 
and  anxieties  of  the  British  commander  were  also  increased 
by  the  relaxation  which  took  place  in  the  discipline  of  the 
army,  arising  from  various  causes,  which  compelled  him 
to  issue  such  orders  as  might  unequivocally  point  out  his 
knowledge  of  the  extent  to  which  the  want  of  discipline 
bad  proceeded,  the  persons  to  whom  he  principally  attri- 
buted it,  and  his  positive  and  unalterable  determination  to 
punish  it  in  the  most  severe  and.  exemplary  manner.    At 
Lugo  sir  John  Moore  was  anxious  to  engage  the  enemy ; 
and  he  was  satisfied  that  the  general  orders  he  had  now 
given,  had  produced  such  an  effect  in  his  army,  as  to  give 
an  earnest  of  victory.     A  slight  skirmish  ensued,  in  which 
the  British  rushed  forward  with  charged   bayonets,  and 
drove  the  enemy's  column  down  the  hill  with  considerable 
slaughter.    After  this,  marshal  Soult,  having  experienced 
the  talents  of  the  general,  and  the  intrepidity  of  the  troops 
he  had  to  encounter,,  did  not  venture  to  renew  the  attack  ; 
from  this  it  was  concluded  that  his  intention  was  to  harass 
the  British  as  much  as  possible  during  their  march,  and  to 
defer  his  attack  till  the  embarkation.     Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  general  quitted  his  ground  in  the  night, 
leaving  fires  burning  to  deceive  the  enemy.     The  French 
did  not  discover  their  retreat  till  long  after  day-light,  so 
that  the  British  army  got  the  start  of  them  considerably. 
On  the  11th  of  January  the  whole  of  the  British  reached 
Corunna,  the  port  where  they  hoped  to  embark,  not,  bow- 
ever,  without  the  probability  of  a  battle;  and  notwithstand- 
ing they  were  disappointed  in  not  finding  the  transports  at 
Corunna,  the  British  army  rejoiced  that  before  they  quitted 
the  shores  of  Spain .  they  should  have  an  opportunity  to 
front  their  enemies.    The  enemy  gave  no  particular  indU 
cations  of  attack  till  about  noon  of  the  16  th  of  January: 


330  MOORE. 

at  tEis  time  sir  John  Moore  was  giving  directions  for  tit* 
embarkation ;  but  the   moment  intelligence  was  brought 
that  the  enemy's  line  were  getting  under  arms,  he  struck 
spurs  to  bis  horse,  and  flew  to  the  field.     The  advanced 
piquets  were  already  beginning  to  fire  at  the  enemy's  light 
troops,  who  were  pouring  rapidly  down  the  hill  on  the: 
right  wing  of  the  British,     Early  in  the  action,  sir  David 
Baird,  leading  on  his  division,  had  his  arm  shattered  with 
a  grape-shot,  and  was  forced  to  leave  the  field.     At  this 
instant  the  French  artillery  plunged  from  the  heights,  sod 
the  two  hostile  lines  of  infantry  mutually  advanced  beneath  a 
shower  of  balls.    They  were  still  separated  from  each  other 
by  stone~wails  and  hedges.    A  sudden  and  very  able  move- 
ment of  the  British  gave  the  utmost  satisfaction  to  sir  John 
Moore,  who  had  been  watching  the  manoeuvre,  and  he 
eried  out,  "  That  is  exactly  what  I  wished  to  be  done.'* 
He  then  rode  up  to  the  50th  regiment,  commanded  by 
majors  Napier  and  Charles  Banks  Stanhope,  who  bad  got 
over  an  inclosure  in  their  front,  and  were  charging  most 
valiantly.     The  general,  delighted  with  the  gallantry  of 
die  two  majors,  who  had  been  recommended  by  hhnself  to 
the  military  rank  they  held,  exclaimed,  u  Well  done  the 
50th!   Well  done  my  majors  T-     The  plaudits  of  their 
general  and  beloved  friend  excited  them  to  new  efforts, 
and  they  drove  the  enemy  out  of  the  village  of  Elvina  with 
great  slaughter.     In  the  conflict,  major  Napier, .  advancing 
too  far,  was  severely  wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  and 
major  Stanhope  received  a  ball  through  his  heart,  which 
instantly  put  an  end  to  a  most  valuable  life.     So  instanta- 
neous must  have  been  the  death  of  major  Stanhope,  that 
a  sense  of  pain  bad  not  torn  from  his  countenance  the 
smile  which  the  bravery  of  his  soldiers  and  the  applause  of 
his  commander  had  excited. 

Sir  John  Moore  proceeded  to  the  42d,  and  addressed 
them  in  these  words,  "  Highlanders,  remember  Egypt." 
They  rushed  on,  driving  the  French  before  them.  He 
sent  captain  Hardinge  to  order  up  a  battalion  of  guards  to 
the  left  flank  of  the  Highlanders,  upon  which  the  officer 
commanding  the  light  company,  conceiving  that,  as  their 
ammunition  was  nearly  expended,  they  were  to  be  relieved 
by  the  guards,  began  to  fall  back ;  but  sir  John,  discover* 
ing  the  mistake,  said,  "  My  brave  42d,»  join  ypur  com-* 
rades,  ammunition  is  coming,  and  you  have  your  bayonets*" 
They  instantly  obeyed,  and  moved  forward.    While  the 


M  O  O  B  E;  331 

general  was  speaking,  a  cannon  ball  struck  him  to  the 
ground.  He  raised  himself,  and  sat  up  with  an  unal- 
tered countenance,  looking  most  intently  at  the  High* 
landers,  who  were  warmly  engaged;  captain  Harding© 
assured  him  the  42d  were  advancing,  upon  which  his  conn* 
tenance  immediately  brightened.  The  general  was  carried 
from  the  field,  and  on  the  way  be  ordered  captain  Har- 
dinge  to  report  his  wound  to  general  Hope,  who  assumed 
the  command.  Many  of  the  soldiers  knew  that  their  two 
generals  were  carried  off  the  field,  yet  they  continued  the 
fight  till  they  bad  achieved  a  decisive  and  brilliant  victory, 
over  a  very  superior  force. 

The  fall  of  general  Moore  is  thus  described  by  captain 
Hardiitge :  "  I  bad  been  ordered  by  the  commander-in. 
ehief  to  desire  a  battalion  of  the  guards  to  advance;  which 
battalion  was  at  one  time  intended  to  have  dislodged  a 
corps  of  die  enemy  from  a  large  house  and  garden  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  valley ;  and  I  was  pointing  out  to  the 
general  the  situation  of  the  battalion,  and  our  horses  were 
touching,   at  the  moment  that  a  cannon-shot  from  the 
enemy's  battery  carried  away  his  left  shoulder,  and  part 
of  the  collar-bone,  leaving  the  arm  hanging  by  the  flesh. 
The  violence  of  the  stroke  threw  him  off  his  horse  on  bis 
back.     Not  a  muscle  of  his  face  altered,  nor  did  a  sigh 
betray  the  least  sensation  of  pain.     I  dismounted,  and, 
taking  his  band,  he  pressed  mine  forcibly,  casting  his  eyes 
nery  anxiously  towards  the  42d  regiment,  which  was  hotly 
engaged;  and  Jus  countenance  expressed  satisfaction  when 
I  informed  him  that  the  regiment  was  advancing.     Assisted 
by  a  soldier  of  the  4£d,  he  was  removed  a  few  yards  behind 
the  shelter  of  a  wail.    Colonel  Graham  Balgowan  and  cap- 
tain Woodfo#d  about  this  .time  came  up,  and,  perceiving 
the  state  ef  sir  John's  wound,  instantly  rode  off  for  a  sur- 
geon.    The  blood  flowed  fast,  but  tbe  attempt  to  stop  h 
with  my.  cash  <was  useless,  from  the  size  of  the  wound. 
Sir  John  assented  to  being  removed  in  a  blanket  to  the 
aear.    in  raising  him  for  that  fHtrpose,  his  sWoVd,  hanging 
en  *be  srounded  side,  touched  his  arm,  and  became  en* 
tangled,  between  fc»  legs.     I  perceived  the  inconvenience^ 
and  was  in  tbe  act  of  unbuckling  k  from  his  waist,  when 
be  said  an  iris  usual  tone  and  manner,  and  in  a  very  dis- 
tinct voice,  '  It  is  as  well  as  it  is ;  I  had  rather  it  should  go 
out  of  the  field  wtb  me.' « 
The  account  of  this  disaster  was  brought  to  sir  David 


332  M  O  8  R  E, 

Baird  while  the  surgeons  were  dressing  his  shattered  arm, 
He  ordered  them  instantly  to  desist,  and  run  to  attend  on  sir 
John  Moore.  When  they  arrived,  he  said  to  them,  "  you 
can  be  of  no  service  to  me,  go  to  the  soldiers,  to  whom 
you  may  be  useful.1'  As  the  soldiers  were  carrying  him 
slowly  along  in  a  blanket,  he  made  them  turn  him  round 
frequently  to  view  the  field  of  battle,  and  to  listen  to  the 
firing,  and  was  pleased  when  the  sound  grew  fainter.  On 
his  arrival  at  his  lodgings  he  was  in  much  pain,  and  could 
speak  but  little,  but  at  intervals  he  said  to  colonel  Ander- 
son, who  for  one-and-twenty  years  had  been  his  friend  and 
companion  in  arms — "  Anderson,  you  know  that  I  always 
wished*  to  die  in  this  way.1'  He  frequently  asked  "are  the 
French  beaten  ?"  and  at  length,  when  he  was  told  they 
were  defeated  in  every  point,  he  said,  "  It  is  a  great  satis- 
faction for  me  to  know  we  have  beaten  the  French.**— "  I 
hope  the  people  of  England  will  be  satisfied,  I  hope  my 
country  will  do  me  justice."  Having  mentioned  the  name 
of  his  venerable  mother,  and  the  names  of  some  other 
friends  for  whose  welfare  he  seemed  anxious  to  offer  hk 
last  prayers,  the  power  of  utterance  was  lost,  and  he  died 
in  a  few  minutes'  without  a  struggle* 

Thus  fell,  at  the  age  of  forty-seven,  Jan.  16,  18'09t  at 
the  conclusion  of  a  critical  victory,  which  preserved  the 
remainder  of  his  army  from  destruction,  Jieutenant-general 
•  sir  John  Moore,  a  name  that  must  be  long  dear  to  his  coun- 
try, which  was  well  disposed  to  do  justice  to  his  memory, 
and  gratefully  to  acknowledge,  in  every  possible  way,  the 
important  services  which  he  had  achieved  for  it. ' 

MOORE  (Sir  Jonas),  a  very  respectable  mathematician, 
fellow  of  the  royal  society,  and  surveyor-general  of  the 
ordnance,  wks  born  at  Whitlee,  orWhitle,  in  Lancashire, 
Feb.  8,  1617.  After  enjoying  the  advantages  of  a  liberal 
education,  he  bent  his  studies  principally  to  the  mathema* 
tics,  to  which  he  had  always  a  strong  inclination,  and  in 
the  early  part  of  his  life  taught  that  science  in  London  for 
his  support.  In  the  expedition  of  king  Charles  the  First 
into  the  northern  parts  of  England,  our  author  was  intro- 
duced to  him,  as  a  person  studious  and  learned  in  those 
sciences;  and  the  king  expressed  much  approbation  of 
him,  and  promised  him  encouragement;  which  indeed  laid 

i  From  the  Annual  Registers. — History  of  bis  Campaign— but  particularly 
an  elaborate  article  in  Rees's  Cyclopaedia. 


MOORE.  333 

the  foqndatioo  of  bis  fortune*  He  was  afterwards,  when 
the  king  was  at  Holdenby-hquse,  in  1647,  appointed  ma« 
tfaematical  master  to  the  king's  second  son  James,  to  in* 
struct  biro  in  arithmetic,  geography,  the  use  of  the  globes, 
&c.  During  Cromwell's  government  be  appears  to  have 
followed  the  profession  6f  a  public  teacher  of  mathematics ; 
for  he  is  styled,  in  the  title-page  of  some  of  his  publica- 
tions, "professor  of  the  mathematics;"  but  his  loyalty 
was  a  considerable  prejudice  to  his  fortune.     In  his  great* 

'  est  necessity,  he  was  assisted  by  colonel  Giles  Strange- 
ways,  then  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower  of  London,  who  like*, 
wise  recommended  him  to  the  other  eminent  persons,  his 
fellow- prisoners,  and  prosecuted  bis  interest  so  far  as  to. 
procure  him  to  be  chosen  surveyor  in  the  work  of  draining 
the  great  level  of  the  fens.  Having  observed  in  bis  survey 
that  the  sea  made  a  curve  line  on  the  beach,  he  thence 
took  the  hint  to  keep  it  effectually  but  of  Norfolk.  This 
added  much  to  his  reputation.  Aubrey  informs  us,  that 
lie  made  a  model  of  a  citadel  for  Oliver  Cromwell  "to  bridle 
the  city  of  London,"  which  was  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Wild,  one  of  the  friends  who  procured  him  the  surveyor- 
jhip  of  the  Fens.  Aubrey  adds,  what  we  do  not  %ery  clearly 
understand,  that  this  citadel  was  to  have  been  the  cross- 
.building  of  St.  Paul's  church. 

After  the  return  of  Charles  II.  he  found  great  favour  and 
promotion,  becoming  at  length  surveyor- general  of  the 
king's  ordnance,  and  receiving  the  honour  of  knighthood. 
He  was  a  great  favourite  both  with  the  king  and  the  duke 
of  York,  who  often  consulted  him,  and  were  advised  by 
him  upon  many  occasions ;  and  he  often  employed  his  in- 
terest with  tfce  court  to  the  advancement  of  learning  and 
the  encouragement  of  merit.  Thus  he  got  Flamsteed  house 
built  in  1675,  as  a  public  observatory,  recommended  Mr. 
Flamsteed  to  be  the  king's  astronomer,  to  make  the  obser- 
vations there':  and  being  surveyor-general  of  the  ordnance 
himself,  this  was  the  reason  why  the  salary  of  the  astronot 
mer  royal  was  made  payable  out  of  the  office  of  ordnance. 
Being  a  governor  of  Christ's  hospital,  it  was  by  his  in- 
terest that  the  king  founded  the  mathematical  school 
there,  allowing  a  handsome  salary  for  a  master  to  instruct 

,  a  certain  number  of  the  boys  in  mathematics  and  naviga- 
tion, to  qualify  them  for  the  sea-service.  Foreseeing  the 
great  benefit  the  nation  might  receive  from  a  mathematical 
school,  if  rightly  conducted,  he  made  it  his  utmost  care -to 


334  MOORE. 

promote  the  improvement  of  it.  The  school  was  settled  \ 
but?  there  still  wanted  ft  methodical  institution  from  which 
the  youths  might  receive  such  neoe&aty  helps  as  their  st** 
dies  required :  a  laborious  Work,  from  wfeichhis  other  gnea* 
and  assiduous  employments  might  very  well  have 'ex* 
empted  him,  bad  not  a  predominant  regard  to  a  mope  ge* 
neral  usefulness  engaged  bim  to  devote  al  I  the  leisure  hows 
of  his  declining  years  to  the  improvement  of  so  useful  and 
important  a  seminary  of  5leattiiog. 

Hating  thus  engaged  himself  in  the  prosecution  of  thit 
general  deaign,  he  next  sketched  out  the  pifcn  of  a  course 
or  system  of  teathewmtics  for  the*  dse  ot  the  school,  and  then 
drew  up  and  printed  several  parts  of  it  himself,  when  death 
pot  an  end  to  bis  labours,  before  the  'work  was  completed; 
He  died  at  Godataimg,  in  his  way  from  Portsmouth  to  Lon- 
don, August  27,  l<679.  Pieces  of  cana<*o»  amounting  to  the 
number  of  his  years,  were  discharged  at  the  Tower,  during 
bis  funeral.  He  was  buried  in  the  chapel  of  the  Tower, 
where  is  a  monument  and  inscription,  which  has  enabled 
us  to  correct  the  mistakes  of  his  biographers  as  to  bis  age, 
place  of  birth,  &c.  In  1681,  his  great  work  was  pub- 
lished by  his  sons-in-law,  Mr.  Hanway  aftd  Mr.  Potinger. 
Of  this  work,  the  arithmetic,  practical  geometry,  trigo- 
nometry, and  cosmography,  were  written  by  sir  Jonas  hitttt- 
aelf,  and  printed  before  his  death.  The  algebra,  naviga- 
tion, and  the  books  of  Euclid,  were  supplied  by  Mr.  Pep- 
Jrins,  the  then  master  of  the  mathematical  school.  And 
the  astronomy,  or  doctrine  of  the  sphere,  was  written  by 
Mr,  Flamsteed,  the  astronomer  royal.  '  He  always  intended 
4o  have  left  his  collection  of  mathematical  books  to  the 
Royal  Society,  of  which  he  was  a  fellow,  bathe  died  with- 
out a  will.  His  only  son,  Jonas,  had  the  honour  of  knight- 
hood conferred  on  him,  and  the  reversion  of  his  fether^s 
place  of  surveyor- general  of  the  ordnance ;  *  *  but,"  adds 
Aubrey,  "  young  sir  Jonas,  when  he  is  c4d,  will  never  bte 
-eld  sirJonAS)  for  all  the  gazette's  eulogie.**1 

MOORE  (Philip),  rector  of  Kirikbride,  and  chapfein 
of  Douglas  id  the  Isle  of  Mann,  a  gentleman  well  known 
is  the  literary  world,  by  his  correspondence  with  men  of 
genius  in  several  parts  of  it,  and  by  them  eminently  ex- 
tinguished as  the  divide  and  scholar,  was  bbm  m  1705. 


*  Birch's  Hist  of  the  Royal  Society. — Biog.  Brit,  new  edit.  vol.  VI.  part  I. 
trapubtisheo1.*— ttotton's  Dictionary.- -G ranger.— letters  by  eminent  Persoaa, 
3  vols.  1813,  8va— <Far  an  accoantof  soassof  ais  oomrys,  see  Qaugtfa  iJqao- 
graphy,  vol.  I, 


\ 


MOORE.  315 

In  the  earlier  part  of  a  life  industriously  employed  in  pro- 
moting the  present  and  future  happiness  of  mslnkind,  he 
served  as  chaplain  to  the  right  reverend  Dr.  Wilson,  the 
venerable  bishop  of  Mann,  whose  friend  and  companion 
he  igas  for  many  years :  at  his  funeral  he  was  appointed. to 
preach  hi*  sermon,  which  is  affixed  to  the  discourses  of  that 
prelate,  in  the  edition  of  his  works  printed  at  Bath,  1761, 
in  two  volumes,  quarto,  and  that  in  folio;  At  the  request 
of  the  society  for  promoting,  Christian  knowledge,  he  aa* 
dertook  the  revision  of  the  translation  into  Manks  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  the  book  of  Common  Prayer,  bishop 
Wilsqn  on  the  Sacrament,  and  other  religious  piece*, 
printed  for  the  use  of  the  diocese  of  Mann ;  and,,  duriog 
the  execution  of  the  first  of  these  works,  he.  was  honoured 
with  the  advice  of  the  two  greatest  Hebreeans  of  the  age^ 
bishop  Lowth  and  Dr.  Kemucott.  In  the  more, private  walks 
of  life,  he  was  not  less  beloved  and  admired;  in  his  duty 
as  a  clergyman,  he  was  active  and  exemplary,  and  pursued 
a  conduct  (as  far  as  human  nature  is. capable)  "  void  of  or}- 
fence  towards  God  and  towards  man/'     His  conversation** 

Erompted  by  an  uncommon  quickness  of  parts,  and  refined 
y  study,  was  at  once. lively,  .instructive,  and  eetertam*- 
>ng;  And  his  friendly  correspondence  (which  was  very  ex*- 
tensive)  breathes  perhaps  as  much  original  humour  as  can 
be  met  with  in  any  writer  who  has  appeared  in  public, 
Sterne  not  excepted,  to  whom  he  did  not  yield  even  m  that 
vivid  philanthropy*  which  the  fictitious  Sterne  could  so 
often  assume.     All  the  clergy  in  the  island  at  the  time  elf 
his  death,  had  been  (except  four)  educated  by  hido,  and 
.by  them  he  was  always  distinguished  with  peculiar  respect 
and  affection*     His  conduct  operated  in  the  same  degree 
amongst  ail  ranks  of  people,  and  it  is  hard  to  say,  whether 
he  won  mare  by  his  doctrine  or  example ;  in  both,  veligiob, 
appeared  moat  amiable,  and  addressed  herself  to  the*  judg- 
ments of  men>  clothed  in  that  cheerfulness  which  is  the 
result  of  firm  conviction  and  a,  pure  intention.     It  is.  un* 
necessary  to  add,  that  though  his  death,  which  happened 
at  DoqgW,  Jan.  22,  1.783,  in  his  7&th  year,  was  gentl«f, 
yet  a  retrospect  of  so  useful  and  amiable  a  life  made  h 
deeply  regretted.     His  remains  were  interred  with  great 
^olemifity.  in  Kirk  Braddon  church,  atteaded  by  all  the 
clergy  of  the  island,  and  a  great  number  of  the  most  re- 
spectable inhabitant^.     In  1785,  a  monument  was  erected 
to  his  memory,  at  the  expence  of  the  rev*  Dr.  Thomas 


336  MOORE. 

Wilson,  son  of  the  bishop,  and  prebendary  of  Westauif* 
ster,  &C.1 

MOPINOT  (Simon),  a  learned  Benedictine  t>f  the  ctonf* 
gregation  of  St.  Maur,  was  born  1685,  at  Rheims,  and  died 
1724,  aged  39.  He  composed  some  hymns  in  Latin,  which 
are  much  admired,  and  assisted  father  Coustant  in  his 
"  Collection  of  the  Popes'  Letters,"  to  which  he  wrote  the 
dedication  and  preface.  This  preface  having  displeased 
the  court  of  Rome,  Mopinot  defended  it  by  several  let* 
ters.  He  also  wrote  the  epistle  dedicatory  which  is  pre- 
fixed to  the  "  Thesaurus  Anecdotorum ;"  and  had  finished 
the  second  volume  of  the  Collection  of  the  Popes'  letters 
before  his  death.  * 

MORABIN  (James),  a  man  of  letters,  and  secretary  to 
the  lieutenant-general  of  the  police  in  Paris,  was  a  native 
of  La  Flfiche,  and  died  September  9,  1762.  He  published 
"  A  Translation  of  Cicero's  Treatise  on  Laws,"  and  of  the 
dialogue  on  orators  generally  attibuted  to  Tacitus ;  "  His* 
toire  de  FExil  de  Ciceron,"  which  is  said  to  have  been 
translated  into  English;  "  Histdire  de  Ciceron,"  1745, 
2  vols,  quarto.  This  work  appeared  nearly  at  the  same 
time  with  that  of  our  own  countrypaan  Dr.  Middleton  on 
the  same  subject,  and  it  is  no  small  praise  that  it  shared 
with  it  in  reputation:  "Nomenclator  Ciceron ianus,"  and 
"  A  Translation  of  Boetius  de  Consolatione."  Morabin's 
works  shew  him  to  have  been  a  man  of  learning ;  but  his 
style  is  not  good,  and  in  his  translations  he  fails  of  trans- 
fusing the  spirit  of  the  original.9 

MORALES  (Ambrose),  a  pious  and  learned  Spanish 
priest,  born  in  1513  at  Cordova,  was  one  of  those  who 
greatly  contributed  to  restore  a.  taste  for  the  belles  lettres 
in  Spain.  He  taught  with  reputation  in  the  university  of 
Alcala,  was.  appointed  historiographer  to  Philip  II.  king  of 
Spain,  and  died  1590,  at  Alcala,  aged  77,  leaving  several 
works  relative  to  Spanish  antiquities  besides  other  valuable 
books.  The  principal  are,  "The  general  Chronicle  of 
Spain,"  which  had  been  begun  by  Florian  Ocampo,  1574, 
and  1588,  2  vols,  folio,  in  Spanish.  "  The  Antiquities  of 
Spain,"  folio,  in  the  same  language,  a  curious  And  very 
valuable  work ;  "  Scholia,"  in  Latin,  on  the  works  of  Eu- 

logius ;  the  "  Genealogy  of  St.  Dominick,"  &c.     He  was 

* 

1  Butler's  Memoirs  of  Bishop  Hildetley,  p.  186,  where  also  are  many  of  Mr. 
Moore's  letters,  Ice.  *  Moreri.  *  Diet.  Hist. 


MORALES.  337 

Wiginally  a  Jiomimqan^  but  obliged  to  quit  that'  order  in 
consequence  of  having  be$ji  induced)  by  a  mistaken  piety ^» 
to  follow  Origen's  /example.  He  was;  unquestionably  ,a 
Qian  of  learning,  and  had  many  .of  the  best  qualities  of.  a 
historian,  but  he  scarcely  rpse  above  tbe  grossest  supersti- 
tions of  liis  age  and  religion.  A  complete  edition;  of  his 
yorks^was  published  at,  Madrid  in  1.791 — 92. l 
.  MORAND  (Sauveuh  Francis),  a  French  surgeon,  was 
born  in  Paris  in  1697,  where  his  father  was* surgeon-major 
to  the  invalids.  Sauv^eur  received  his  literary  education,  at 
*he  college  Mazarin,.  and  was  instructed  in  his  profession 
by  his  father' -at  the  hospital  pf  the  -Invalids..'  He  rose  to 
the  mastership  of  the  qqmpany  of  St.  Gome  (which  was 
afterwards  erected  into,  the  Royal  Academy  of  i  Surgery),; 
ai)d  was  appointed  demonstrator  of  surgical  operations. to 
that  body  in  1725.  In  1728  he  appeared,  as  an  author  ©fr 
the  subject  of  lithotomy, -and  published  his  "  Traite  dela 
Taille  au  haqt  appareil,  &c. ;"  the  highi  operation  being 
then  universally  practised  by  tbe  surgeons  of  .Paris.  Bu(^ 
in  the  following  yeai;  he. was  commissioned  by  the  Aca* 
demy  of  Scieuces  to  visit  London,  with  a. view  of  witness-* 
ing  the  lateral  operation,  as  performed  by  Cheselden  with 
so  much  success;  and  on  his  return.tQ  Paris,,  he.  introduced 
that  mode  of  cutting  for. the  stoue,  at  the  hospital  of  La 
<pbarit£,  whiqh  brought  a  crowd  of  pupils  to.  bis  hospital, 
and  multiplied  J>is  professional  honours.  He  was  admitted 
a  member  of  many,  foreign  societies,  especially  the  Royal 
Society.>of  Lofldou,  into  which,  he  was  admitted,  in  1728 j 
and  the  academies  of  Stockholm,  Petersburg!),  Florence* 
$oiogna,  ?nd  Rouen*  and  was  nominated  pensioner  .and 
professor  of  anatomy  to  the  Royal  Academy,  of.  SgieOQes  tag. 
jiome.  He  held  likewise  several  medical  appointments  ia 
the  army;  and  in  1751,  was  honoured  with,  knighthood,  of 
the  order  of  St.  Michael.  .  H$  died  .in  1773,  at  the  age  of 
$eventyrsix.  :,..:• 

•  Resides  the  treatise  qu  lithotomy. above  mentioned,  he 
published  other  works  concerning  the  same  .subject,  oi 
cprjnectjed  with  his  profession,  and  was  author,  of  several 
papep,  published  in  the  Memoirs  of  :the  AQad^my  of 
Sciences,  as  well  as.tha.t  of  Surgery ;  and  wrote  a  history  of 
the  latter  academy,  for  the  secoud  and  third  .volumes  of 
their  memoirs.  * 

1  Antonio,  Bibl.  Htsp.— Moreri,—- Saxii  Onomasticon. 
"  •  Eloy,  Diet.  Hist,  de  Medicine, — Rees's  Cyclpp«dia.   , 

Vol.  XXII.  Z 


n 

4 


338  MORAND. 

.  MORAND  (John  Francis  Clement),  son  of  the  pre- 
ceding, was  born  at  Paris  in  April  1726,  and  after  receiving 
the  degree  of.  doctor  in  medicine  in  1750,  was  appointed 
professor  of  anatomy.  He  likewise  obtained  a  high  repu- 
tation in  bis  profession, .  was  elected  into  many  learned 
bodies ;  and  was  appointed  physician  in  ordinary  to  Sta* 
pislaus,  king  of  Poland,  and  duke  of  Lorraine.  He  died 
in  the  year  1784.  He  wrote  "  Histoire  de  la  Maladie  ,sin- 
guliere,  et  de  1'examen  d'une  femme  devenue  en  pea  de 
terns  contrefaite  par  un  ramollissement  general  des  os,*J 
Paris,  1752.  "  Nouveile  description  des  grottcs  d'Arcy* 
Lyons,  1752.  "  Lettre  &  M.  le  Roi  au  sujet  de  lr Histoire 
de  la  femme  Suppiot,"  Paris,  1753.  "  EclarrcissemenC 
abrSge"  sur  la  Maladie  d'une  fille  de  St.  Geosme,"  and 
"  Recueil  pour  servir  d'eclaircissement,  &e."  relating  tor 
the  same  subject,  Paris,  1754.  "  Lettre  sur  lrInstrument 
de  Roonhnysen,"  1755.,  "  Lettre  sur  la  qualite*  des  Eaux 
de  Luxeuil  en  Franche  Comtey  published  in  the  Journal 
de  Verdun,  March  1756.  "  Memoire  sur  les  Eaux  The** 
males  de  Bains  en  Lorraine/9  &c.  in  the  Journal  de  Me~ 
decine,  torn.  VI.  1757.  "  Du  Charbon  de  terre  et  de  ses 
Mines/'  fol.  1769.  He  also  wrote  an  "  Eloge"  of  bis  fa- 
ther, and  a  "  Memoire  sur  la  qualite*  dangereuse  de  rede* 
tique  des  Apothecaires  de  Lyons.9' l 
.  MORANT  (Philip),  M.  A.  and  F.  S.  A.  a  learned  and 
indefatigable  antiquary  and  biographer,  the  son  of  Ste- 
phen MoratU,  was  born  at  St.  Saviour's  in  the  hie  of  Jer- 
sey, Oct  6,  1700;  and,  after  finishing  his  education  at 
AbingdoR~school,  was  entered  Dec.  16,  1717,  of  Pembroke- 
college,  Oxford,  where  he  took  the  degree  of  B.  A.  June 
10,  1721,  and  continued  till  Midsnmmer  1722;  when  he 
was  preferred  to  the  office  of  preacher  of  the  English 
church  at  Amsterdam,  but  never  went  to  take  possession. 
He  took  the  degree  of  M.  A.  in  1724,  and  was  presented 
to  the  rectory  of  Shellow  Bowel  Is,  April  20,  1733 ;  to  the; 
vicarage  of  Bromfield,  Jan.  17,  1738-4;  to  the  rectory  of 
Chicknal  Smeley,  Sept.  19,  1735;  to  that  of  St.  Mary's, 
Colchester,  March  9,  1737;  to  that  of  Wickham  Bishops, 
Jan.  21,  1742-3;  and  to  that  of  Aldham,  Sept.  14,  1745. 
All  .these  benefices  are  in  the  county  of  Essex.  In  174$ 
be  published  his  "  History  of  Colchester/*  of  'which  only 
200  copies  were  printed  at  the  joint  expence  of  Mr.  Be*** 

*  Eloges  des  A4fc<lemiciens»  rot.  IV.—Eloy,  Diet.  Hot  de  Mwticine,— lUttfr 
CyclopwdU  -'* 


M  O  R  A  N  T.  I3» 

yet  and  himself.  In  1751,  Mr.  Morant  was  elected  F.  S.  A. 
In  February  1768,  be  was  appointed,  by  the  lords  sub- 
committees of  the  House  of  Peers,  to  succeed  Mr.  Blyke, 
in  preparing  for  the  press  a  copy  of  the  rolls  of  parliament; 
a  service  to  which  he  diligently  attended  to  his  death, 
which  happened  Nov.  25,  1770,  in  consequence  of  a  cold, 
caught  in  returning  by  Water  from  the  Temple  to  Vauxhall; 
iri  his  way  to  South  Lambeth,  where  he  resided  for  the 
convenience  of  attending  to  bis  parliamentary  labours; 
for  Which,  as  a  native  of  Jersey,  and  excellently  skilled 
in  the  otd  Norman  French,  he  was  particularly  well  qua* 
lifted.  This  Work,  after  his  death,  devolved  on  Thomas 
Astle,  esq.  F.  R.  and  A.  SS.  who  had  married  his  only 
daughter,  and  who  communicated  to  Mr.  Nichols  the  fol- 
lowing exact  account  of  Mr.  Morant's  writings,  from  a  list 
of  them  drawn  up  by  himself.  1.  "An  Introduction  to 
the  Reading  of  the  New  Testament,  being  a  translation? 
of  that  of  Mess,  de  Beausobre  and  Lenfant,  prefixed  to 
their  edition  of  the  New  Testament,"  1725,  1726,  4to. 
£<  "  The  Translation  of  the  Notes  of  Mess,  de  Beausobre 
*nd  Lenfant  on  St  Matthew-  a  Gospel,"  1727,  4to.  N. 
Tindai  translated  the  text  printed  therewith.  3.  "  The 
Cruelties  and  Persecutions  of  the  Romish  Church  dis- 
played, &c*"  1728,  8vo,  translated  into  Welsh  by  Tho- 
mas Richards,  curate  of  Coychurch  in  Glamorganshire, 
1746,  with  the  approbation  of  Dr.  Gilbert,  the  bishop  of 
Landaff.  4.  "  I  epitomised  those  Speeches,  Declarations, 
■fee.  which  Rapin  had  contracted  out  of  Rushworth  in  the 
Life  of  King  James  I.  King  Charles  I.  &c."  1729,  1730. 
5.  "  Remarks  on  the  19th  Chapter  of  the  Second  Book  of 
Mr.  Selden's  Mare  Clausum."  Printed  at  the  end  of  Mr. 
FalleV  "  Account  of  Jersey,"  1734.  6.  "  I  compared 
Rapin's  History  with  the  20  volumes  of  Rymer's  Foedera, 
and  Acta  Publica,  and  ail  the  ancient  and  modern  Historians, 
and  added  most  of  the  notes  that  were  in  the  folio  edition/* 
1728,  1734.  This  is  acknowledged  at  the  end  of  the  pre- 
face in  the  first  volume  of  Rapin's  History.  7.  "  Transla- 
tion of  the  Notes  in  the  Second  Part  of  the  Othman  History, 
by  Prince  Cantemir,"  1735,  folio.  8.  Revised  and  cor-* 
tected  "  The  History  of  England,  by  way  of  Question  and 
Answer/'  for  Thomas  Astley,  1737,  12 mo.  9.  Revised: 
and  corrected  "  Hearne's  Ductor  Historicus,"  and  made 
large  additions  thereto,  for  J.  Knapton.  10.  "Account 
of  the  Spanish  Invasion  in  1588,  by  way  of  illustration  to 

Z  2 


S40  HO'KANT. 

the  Tapestry  Hangings  in  the  House  of  Lords  and  in  the 
King's  Wardrobe.  Engraved  and  published  by  J.  Pine," 
1739,  folio.  11.  "  Geog-raphta  Antiqua  &  Nova;  taken 
partly  from  Dnfresnoy's  '  Methode  pour  6tudier  la  Gfo* 
graphie;'  with  Cellarius's  Maps,"  1742,  4to.  12.  "A 
Summary  of  the  History  of.  England,"  folio,  and  "  Lists  at 
the  end  of  Mr.  Tindal's  Continuation  of  Rapin's  History, 
in  vol.  III.  being  55  sheets.  Reprinted  in  three  volumes," 
Svo.  13.  "  The  History  and  Antiquities  of  Colchester," 
1748,  folio;  second  edition,  1768.  14.  "  All  the  Lives 
hi  t^e  Biographia  Britannica  marked  C.  1739,  1760,  7  vols. 
folio..  I  also  composed  Stillingfleet,  which  hath  no  .mark 
at  the  end."  15.  "  The  History  .of  Essex,".  I760>  Jt7£8, 
2  vols,  folio.  16.  "I  prepared  the  Rolls  of  Parliament  for 
the  Press"  (as  far  as  the  16  Henry  IV.)  Other  works  in 
MS. :  17.  "  An  Answer  to  the  first  Part  of  the  Discourse 
of  the  Grounds  and  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Religion,  in 
a  Letter  to  a  Friend,  1^24.  Presented  in  MS.  to  Edmund 
Gibson,  bishop  6f  London."  Never  pTinted.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  Mr.  Morant's  acquaintance  with  the  bi- 
shop, whom  he  acknowledged  as  his  only  patron,  and  who 
gave  him  several  livings  in  the  county  of  Essex.  18.  u  The 
Life  of  King  Edward  the  Confessor."  19.  About  150 
Sermons.1.  . 

.  MORATA  (Olympia  Fulvia),  a  learned  Italian  lady, 
was  born  at  Ferrara,  in  1526.  Her  father  taught  the  belles 
lettres  in  several  cities  of  Italy :  and  his  reputation  as  a 
teacher  advanced  him  to  be  preceptor  to  the  young  princes 
of  Ferrara,  sons  of  Alphonsus  I.  The  uncommon  parts  and 
turn  for  literature  which  he  discovered  in  his  daughter,  in- 
duced him  to  cultivate  them ;  and  she  soon  made  a  very 
extraordinary  progress.  The  princess  of  Ferrara  was  at 
that  time  studying  polite  literature,  and  a  companion  in 
the  same  pursuit  being  thought  expedient,  Morata  was. 
called  to  court ;  where  she  was  heard,  by  the  astonished 
Italians,  to  declaim  in  Latin,  to  speak  Greek,  to  explain 
the  paradoxes  of  Cicero,  and  to  answer  any  questions  that 
were  put  to  her.  Her  father  dying,  and  her  mother  being 
an  invalid,  she  was  obliged  to  return  home,  in  order  to 
take  upon  her  the  administration  of  the  family  affairs,  and 
the  education  of  three  sisters  and  a  brother,  all  which  she 
conducted  with  judgment  and  success.  But  some  have- 
said  that  the  immediate  cause  of  her  removal  from  court, 

1  Nichols'*  Bowyer. 


M  O  R  A  T  A.  S4i 

tfas  a  dislike  which  the  duchess  of  Ferrara  had  Conceived 
dgainst  her,  by  the  misrepresentations  of  some  of  'the 
courtiers.  In  the  mean  time,  a  young  German,  named 
Grunthlerus,  who  had  studied  physic,  and  taken  his  doc* 
tor's  degree  at  Ferrara,  fell  in  love  with  her,  and  married 
her.  Upon  this  she  went  with  her  husband  to  Germany/ 
and  took  her  little  brother  with  her,  whom  she  carefully 
instructed  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages.  They  ar* 
rived  at  Augsburg  in  154.8  ;  and,  after  a  short  stay  there* 
went  to  Schweinfurt  in  Franconia,  but  had  not  been  long 
there,  before  Schweinfurt  was  besieged  and  burnt  They 
escaped,  however,  with  their  lives,  but  remained  in  great 
distress  until  the  elector  Palatine  invited  Grunthler  to  be 
professor  of  physic  at  Heidelburg*  He  entered  upon  this 
new  office  in  1554,  and  began  to  enjoy  some  degree  of  re- 
pose; when  illness,  occasioned  by  the  hardships  they  had 
undergone,  seized  upon  Morata,  and  proved  fatal  Oct.  26, 
1$55i  before  she  was  quite  twenty-nine  years  old*  She 
died  in  the  Protestant  religion,  which  she  embraced  upon 
her  coming  to  Germany,  and  to  which  she  resolutely  ad- 
hered. Her  husband  and  brother  did  not  long  survive  her, 
*nd  were  interred  in  the  same  grave  in  the  church  of  -St* 
Peter,  where. is  a  Latin  epitaph  to  theirmemory. 
,  She  composed  several  works,  a  great  part  of  which  were 
(>urnt  with  the  town  of  .  Schweinfurt;*. the  remainder  were 
collected  by  Calms  Secundum  Curio,  and  published  with 
this  title : . "  Olympic  Falviae  Moratae,  foeminx  doctissimas 
ac  plane  divines,  Opera  omnia  quae  hapten  us  inveniri  po- 
ttierunt;  quibus  Caelii  Secundi  Curionis  E pistol aa  ac  Ora* 
tiones  accesserunt,"  Basil,  L558,  in  8vo,  and  often  *e+ 
printed.  They  consist  of  orations,  dialogues,  letters,  and 
translations. ' . 

MORAY,  or  MURRAY  (Sia  Robert),  one  of  the  foun- 
ders of  the  Royal  Society,4  was  descended  of  an  ancient 
and  noble  family  in  the  Highlands  .of  Scotland,  and  had 
his  education,  partly  in  the  university  of  St.  Andrews,  and 
partly  in  France.  In  this  last  country  he  entered  into  the 
army,  ia  the  service  pf  Lewis  XIII,  and  became  such  a 
favourite  with  cardinal  Richlieu*  that  few  foreigners  were 
held  in  equal  esteem  by  that  great  statesman.  According 
to  .Anthony  Wood,  sir  Robert  Moray  was  general  of  the 
ordnance  in  Scotland,  against  king.  Charles  I,  when  the 

*  Niceron,  vol.  XV«~Moreri  in  Fulm,— Beg»  Icones.—jSaxii  Onomast, 


Ut  M  O  R  A  Y. 

presbyterians  of  that  kingdom  first  set  up  and  maiiitaitigft 
their  covenant.  But  if  this  be  true,  which  we  apprehend 
to  be  very  doubtful,  he  certainly  returned  to  France,  and 
was  raised  to  the  rank  of  colonel,  from  which  country  he 
came  over  to  England  for  recruits,  at  the  time  that  king 
Charles  was  with  the  Scotch  army  at  Newcastle.  Here  he 
grew  into  much  favour  with  his  majesty,  and,  about  De** 
cember  1 646,  formed  a  design  for  his  escape,  which  watf 
to  have  been  executed  in  the  following  manner :  Mr.  Wit* 
liam  Moray,  afterwards  earl  of  Dysert,  had  provided'  a 
vessel  near  Tinmoutb,  and  sir  Robert  Moray  was  to  have 
conducted  the  king  thither  in  a  disguise.  The  matter  pro- 
ceeded so  far,  that  bis  majesty  put  himself  in  the  disguise, 
and  went  down  the  back-stairs  with  sir  Robert.  But,  ap- 
prehending that  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  pass  all  the 
guards  without  being  discovered,  and  judging  h  highly  in** 
decent  to  be  taken  in  such  a  condition,  he  changed,  his  re-i 
solution,  and  returned  back.  Upon  the  restoration  of 
king  Charles  II.  si^  Robert  Moray  was  appointed  a  privy* 
counsellor  for  Scotland.  Wood  says,  that,  though  sir 
Robert  was  presbyterianly  affected,  he  had  the  king's  ear 
as  much  as  any  other  person.  He  was,  undoubtedly,  hi 
no  small  degree  of  esteem  with  his  majesty ;  but  this  was 
probably  more  upon  a  philosophical  than  apolitical  account ; 
for  he  was  employed  by  Charles  the  Second  in  his  chymica^ 
processes,  and  was,  indeed,  the  conducter  of  his  labors* 
tory.  When  the  design  was  formed,  in  1661,  of  restoring 
episcopacy  in  Scotland,  sir  Robert  was  one,  among  others, 
who  was  for  delaying  the  making  of  any  such  change,  till 
the  king  should  be  better  satisfied  concerning  the  inclina- 
tions of  the  nation.  In  the  next  year,  sir  Robert  Moray 
was  included  in  an  act,  passed  in  Scotland,  which  incapa-* 
citated  certain  persons  from  holding  any  place  of  trust  under 
the  government.  This  act,  which  was  carried  by  the  ma- 
nagement of  a  faction,  and  to  which  the  lord  commissioner 
(the  earl  of  Middleton)  gave  the  royal  assent,  without  ac- 
quainting his  majesty  with  the  whole  purport  of  it,  was 
very  displeasing  to  the  king,  who,  when  it  was  delivered 
to  him,  declared,  that  it  should  never  be  opened  by  him* 
In  1667,  sir  Robert  Moray  was  considerably  entrusted  in 
the  management  of  public  affairs  in  Scotland,  and  they 
'were  then  conducted  with  much  greater  moderation  than 
they  had  been  for  some  time  before.  It  is  a  circumstance 
highly  to  his  honour,  that  though  the  earl  of  Lauderdale* 


MORAY.  343 

instigation  of  lady  Dysert,  bad  used  him  very  un- 
worthily, yet  that  nobleman  had  such  an  opinion  of  his 
virtue  and  candour,  that,  whilst  he  was  in  Scotland,  in 
1669,  as  bis  majesty's  high  commissioner,  he  trusted  all 
Jus  concerns  in  the  English  court  to  sir  Robert's  care.  Sir 
Robert  Moray  had  J»een  formerly  the  chief  friend  and 
main  support  of  the  earl  of  Lauderdale,  and  had  always 
been  his  faithful  adviser  and  reprover.  Anthony  Wood 
says,  that  sir  Robert  was  a  single  man ;  but  this  is  a  mis- 
take ;  for  be  had  married  a  sister  of  lord  Balcarras.  He 
died  suddenly,  in  his  pavilion,  in  the  garden  of  Whitehall, 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1673,  and  was  interred,  at  the.  king's 
expence,  in  Westminster-abbey,  near  the  monument  of 
sir  William  Davenant. 

<  The  merit  of  sir  Robert  Moray,  with  regard  to  the  Royal 
Society,  was  very  eminent.  Bishop  Burnet  asserts,  that 
he  was  the  first  former  of  the  society,  and  that,  while  he 
lived,  he  was  the  life  and  soul  of  that  body.  He  was  un- 
doubtedly one  of  the  first  framers  of  it ;  and  he  was  uncom- 
monly assiduous  in  promoting  its  valuable  purposes  *.  In 
this  view,  we  meet  with  his  name  in  almost  every  page  of 
Dr.  Birch's  circumstantial  History  of  the  Society;  in  tfhich, 
likewise,  are  inserted  some  of  sir  Robert's  papers.  An- 
other of  his  papew,  concerning  the  mineral  of  Liege,  is 
printed  in  the  early  part  of  the  Philosophical  Transactions. 
Besides  sir  Robert  Moray's  aids  and  communications,  rela- 
tive to  the  scientific  views  and  experiments  of  the  Royal 
Society,  he  was  singularly  useful  to  it  in  other  respects* 

* 

*  Tbe  members,  of  whom  it  was  academy  at  Pa;  is,  and  dated  122  Juljs^ 

originally  composed,   held  their  first  1661,  sir  Robert  Moray  styled  himself 

meeting,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  "  Societatis  ad  tempus  Prssses."   Front 

themselves  into  a  regular  philosophical  all  toe  circumstances  we  baFe  bee* 

society,   on  the  28th  of   November,  able  to  collect,  sir  Robert  seems   to 

1660.     In  the  next  week  (Dee.  5.),  sir  have  been  tbe  sole  presideot  of  the  so- 

Robert  Moray  brought  word  from  the  ctety,  till  it  was  incorporated,  except- 

court,  that  the  king  had  been  acquaint-  ing  for  one  month,  from  May   14th, 

ed  with  the  design  of  the  meeting;  that  1662,  to  June  the  11th,  during  which 

hewell  approved  of  it;  and  that  he  would  time  Dr,  Wilkios  possessed  that  ho- 

be  ready  to  give  it  encouragement,  nour.     It  is  certain  that  sir  Robert 

On  the  6th  of  March,   1660-61,   sir  Moray  was  again  appointed  to  the  of. 

Robert  was  chosen  president  of  the  so-  fice,    when  Dr.  Wilklns's  month  Was 

cUtft  Ant  a  month  only,  m  it  appears  ;  out,  and  that  he  continued  in  it  tiH  the 

for,  on  the  10th  of  April,  1661,  he  was  charter  took   place.    The  above  ac- 

again  elected  for  another  month.    In  count  will  reconcile  tbe  apparent  coo- 

this   office   he  likewise  continued  by  trad fctioo  of  our  historians,  who,  when 

subsequent  elections,  though  the  time  they  speak  of  the  Royal  Society,  some- 

of  making  them  is  not  particularly  times  represent  sir  Robert  Moray,  and 

mentioned.  In  a  Latin  letter,  addressed  sometimes  lord  Brouncker,  a*  barraf 

(bn  Mons.  de  Moutmor,  president  of  the  been  the  first  president 


314  ,  MORAY. 

s 

He  bad  a  very  considerable  share  in  obtaining  its  charter* ; 
was  concerned  in  framing  its  statutes  arid  regulations^ 
and  was  indefatigably  jealous  in  .whatever  regarded  its  in* 
terests.  In  both  the  charters  of  the  Royal  Society,. he  is 
first  mentioned  in  the  list  of  the  council :  he  was  always 
afterward  chosea  of  the  council ;  and  his. name  sometimes 
occurs  as  vice-president.  ■   .. 

.  Sir  Robert  Moray's  general  character  was  excellent  in 
the  highest  degree.  He  was  beloved  and  esteemed-  by 
men  of  every  party  and  stations  His  piety  was  such,  that} 
jn  the  midst  of  armies  and  courts,  he  spent  many  hours  of 
the  day  in  the  exercise  of  devotion.  The  equality  of.  bis 
temper  could  not  be  disturbed  by  any  event  c  he  was  in 
practice  a  stoic,  with  a  strong  tincture  of  the  persuasion  of 
absolute  decrees.  He  had  a  most  diffusive  love  for  man-* 
kind;  and  whilst  he  delighted  .in  every  occasion;  of  doing 
good,  bis.  benevolence  was  conducted  with  a  discretion 
equal  to  his  zeal.  In  reproving  the  faults  of  young  people* 
he  had  the  plainest,  and  yet  the  softest  method  of  doing  it 
that  can  be  imagined.  His, comprehension  was  superior  to 
that  of  most  men  ;  and  in  genius.be  resembled  the  illus* 
trious  Peireskius,  as  described  by  Gassendus.  Once,  wtfea 
a  false  and  malicious  accusation  was  brought  against  sir 
Robert  Moray,  which  was  aimed  at  hisjife,  be  practised* 
upon  the  occasion,  in  a  very  eminent  manner,  his  feme 
Christian  philosophy,  without  shewing  so  mqch  as  a  cloud 
in  his  whole  behaviour. l  *  .  •  .  i 

.  MORDAUNT  {Charles),  earl  of  Peterborough,  was 
the  son  of  John  lord  Mordaunt,  of  Reygate,  in  Surrey,  and 
lord  viscount  Avtlon,  in  the  county  of  Somerset,  by  EIU 
?abeth,  daughter  of  Thomas  Carey,  second  son  of  Robert* 
carl  of  Monmouth.  He  was  born  about  1658;  and,  in 
1675,  succeeded  his  father  in  honours  and  estate.  ,  In  his 
youth  he  served  under  the  admirals  Torrington  and  Nar*» 
borough  in  the  Mediterranean,  during  the  war  with  thi 
state  of  Algiers;  and,  in  June  1680,  embarked  for  Africa 
with  the  earl  of  Plymouth,  and  distinguished  himself  at; 
Tangier,  when  it  was  besieged  by  the.  Moors.  In  tug 
reign  of  James  II.  he  was  one  of  those  lords  who  manifested 
their  zeal  against  the  repeal  of  the  test-act ;  and,  disliking 
the  measures  and  designs  of  the  court,  obtained  leave  ta 

*  Biog.  Brit  in  art.  Brouncker,— Birch's  His*,  of  the  Ro^al  Society.— ^Ath, 
Ox,  ?pl.  {I,— Burnet's  Own  Times, 


MORDAUNT. 

go  oVef  into  Holland,  w  accept  the  command  of  a  Dutcfi 
squadron  in  the  West-Indies.  On  his  arrival,  he  pressed 
the  prince  of :  Orange  to  undertake  an  expedition  inty 
England,  representing  the  matter  as  extremely-  easy ;  but, 
bis  scheme  appearing  too  romantic,  his  highness  only  pro* 
.  tnised  him  in  general,  that  he  should  have  an  eye  on  thg 
affairs  of  England,  and  endeavour  to  put  those  of  Holland! 
in  so  good  a  posture  as  to  be  ready  to  act  when  it  should 
be  necessary <  assuring  Mm  at  the  same  time,  that  if  the 
fcing  should  proceed  to  change  the  established  religion,  or 
to  wrong  the  princess  in  her  right,  or  to  raise  forged  plots 
jto  destroy  his  friends,  he. would  try  what  could, possibly  be 
done*  The  reason  why  the  prince  would  not  seem  tq 
'enter  too  hastily  into  lord  MofdaimtV ideas  seems  to  have 
been,  because,  as  Burnet  observes,  his  lordship  was  "$ 
man  of  much  heat,  many  notions,  and  full  of  discourse; 
*nd$  though  brave  and  generous,  had  not  true  judgment, 
bis  thoughts  being  crude  and  indigested,  and  his  secrets 
#oon  kpown.'1  However,  be  was  one  of  those  whom  the 
prince  chiefly  trusted,  and  on  whose  advice  he  governed 
all  his  motions. 

,  In  1688  he  accompanied  his  highness  in  his  expedition 
into  England ;  and,  upon  his  advancement  to  the  throne, 
was  sworn  of  the  privy  -council,  made  one  of  the  lords  of 
the  bedchamber,  and,  in  order  to  attend  at  the  coronation 
95  an  earl,  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  earl  of  Monmouth, 
April  9,  1689,  having  the  day  before  been .  constituted 
♦first  commissioner  of  the  treasury.  He  bad  likewise  th£ 
command  of  the  royal  regiment  of  horse,  which  the  city  of 
London, had  raised  for  the  public  service,  and  of  which  hi* 
majesty  was  colonel;  .but,  in  the  beginning  of  Nov.  1690, 
be  was  removed  from  his  post  in  the  treasury.  On  June 
.19,  1697,.  upon  the  death  of  his  uncle  Henry  earl  of  Per 
terborougb,  he  succeeded  to  that  title ;  and,  upon  the 
accession  of  queen  Anne,  was  designed  for  the  West-Indies, 
being  invested  with  the  commission  of  captain-general  and 
governor  of  Jamaica,  and  commander  of  the  army  and  fleet 
for. that  expedition.  In  March  1705,  he  was  sworn  of  the 
privy- council ;  and  the  same  year  declared  general  and 
commander  in  chief  of  the  forces  sent  to  Spain,  and  joint 
edmiral  of  the  fleet  with  sir  Cloudsley  Shovell*  of  which* 
the  year  following*,  be  had  ttye  sole  command,  sir  Cloudsley 
remaining  in  the  British  seas.  His  taking  Barcelona  with 
an  handful  of  men,    and  relieving  it  afterwards,  w;beft 


»4t  MORDAUNT. 

r 

greatly  distressed  by  tbe  enemy ;  his  driving  out  of  SpsAlL 
tbe  duke  of  Anjou  and  the  French  army,  which  consisted  of 
twenty-five  thousand  men,  though  his  own- troops  never 
amounted  to  ten  thousand ;  tbe  possession  he  gained  of 
Catalonia,  of  the  kingdoms  of  Valencia,  Arragon,  and  Ma- 
jorca, with  part  of  Mtircia  and  Castile,  and  thereby  giving 
opportunity  to  the  earl  of  Galway  of  advancing  to  Madrid 
without  a  blow ;  were  all  astonishing  instances  of  valour, 
prudence,  and  conduct  in  military  affairs,  and,  together 
with  his  wit,  ready  address,  and  singularities  of  character, 
made  him  be  considered  as  one  of  the  ablest  servants  of  tbe 
public,  and  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  characters  of 
Wa  time.  - 

For  his  services  abroad  bis  lordship  was  declared  general 
in  Spain  by  Charles  III.  afterwards  emperor  of  Germany; 
*nd,  the  war  being  thought  likely  to  be  concluded,  he  waf 
appointed  by  queen  Anne  ambassador  extraordinary,  with 
power  and  instructions  for  treating  and  adjusting  all  mat- 
ters of  state  and  traffic  between  the  two  kingdoms.  The 
king  of  Spain,  however,  having  transmitted  some  charges 
against  him,  bis  conduct  was  examined  by  parliament,  and 
cleared  up  to  their  entire  satisfaction.  The  House  of 
Lords,  in  particular,  who  were  pleased  with  his  justifica- 
tion, resolved,  Jan.  12,  1710-11,  "  that  his  lordship,  dur- 
ing the  time  be  commanded  the  army  in  that  kingdom,  bad 
performed  many  great  and  eminent  services ;  and  that,  if 
tbe  opinion,  which  he  bad  given  to  the  council  of  war  at 
Valencia,  had  been  followed,  it  might  very  probably  have 
prevented  the  misfortunes  that  had  since  happened  in 
Spain :"  and  upon  this  foundation  they  voted  thanks  to  his" 
lordship  in  the  most  solemn  manner.  In  1710  and  1711, 
lie  was  employed  in  embassies  to  Vienna,  Turin,  *u4  several 
of  the  courts  in  Italy.  On  his  return  to  England,  he  was 
made  colonel  of  the  royal  regiment  of  horse-guards ;  and 
being  general  of  the  marines,  and  lord-lieutenant  of  the 
county  of  Northampton,  was,  on  August  4,  1713,  installed 
at  Windsor  a  knight  of  the  garter.  Soon  after  which  he 
was  sent  ambassador  extraordinary  to  the  king  of  Sicily* 
and  to  negociate  affairs  with  other  Italian  princes ;  and  in 
March  1713-14,  was  made  governor  of  the  island  of  Mi** 
norca.  In  the  reign  of  George  I.  he  was  general  of  all  the 
marine  forces  in  Great  Britain,  in  which  post  he  was  like- 
wise continued  by  George  II.  He  died  in  his  passage  to 
Lisbon^  whither  he  was  going  for  the  recovery  of 


M  O  R  D  A  U  N  T.  S47 

lieaHb,  Oct.  25,  1735,  aged  seventy-seven*  A  very  in* 
teresting  account  of  bis  last,  illness,  which  was  excruciating, 
fc>  given,  in  vol.  X.  of  Bowles's  edition  of  Pope's  Works. 
>  Lord  Peterborough  was  a  man  of  great  courage  and 
skill  as  a  commander,  and  was  successful  in  almost  all 
his.  undertakings.  As  a  politician,  he  appears  also  to  much 
advantage,  being  open,  honest,  and  patriotic  in  the  ge~ 
fiuine  sense.  Lord  Orford  has  characterized  him  well  in 
9tber  respects,  as  "  one  of  those  men  of  careless  wit  and 
negligent  grace,  who  scatter  a  thousand  bon~mots  and 
idle  verses,  which  (such)  painful  compilers  (as  lord  Orford) 
gather  and  board,  till  the  owners  stare  to  find  themselves 
authors.  Such  was  this  lord  :  of  an  advantageous  figure, 
itod  enter  prizing  spirit :  as  gallant  as  Amadis,  and  as  brave, 
|>ut  a  little  more  expeditious  in  bis  journeys ;  for  he  is  said 
to  have  seen  more  kings  and  more  postillions  than  any  man 
in  Europe."  He  was  indeed  so  active  a  traveller,  accord- 
ing to  Dean  Swift,  that  queen  Anne's  ministers  used  to 
•ay,  they  wrote  at  him,  and  not  to  him*.  What  lord 
Peterborough  wrote,  however,  seems  scarcely  worth  notice, 
unless  in  such  a  publication  as  the  "  Royal  and  Noble 
Authors,"  where  the  freedom  of  that  illustrious  company  is 
bestowed  on  the  smallest  contributors  to  literary  amuse- 
ment. He  is  said  to  have  produced  "  La  Muse  de  Cava- 
lier ;  or,  an  apology  for  such  gentlemen  as  make  poetry 
their  diversion,  and  not  their  business,"  in  a  letter  inserted 
in  the  "  Public  Register,"  a  periodical  work  by  Dodsley* 
1741,  4to;  u  A  copy  of  verses  on  the  duchess  of  Marl- 
borough;" "Song,  by  a  person  of  quality,"  beginning. 
5' J  said  to  my  heart,  between  sleeping  and  waking,  &c." 
inserted  in  Swift's  Works.  "  Remarks  on  a  pamphlet,"  re- 
specting the  creation  of  peers,  1719,  8vo;  but  even 'for. 
some  of  these  trifles,  the  authority  is  doubtful.  His  cor- 
jfespondence  with  Pope  is  no  little  credit  to  that  collection*: 
He  was  the  steady  friend  and  correspondent  of  Pope,  Swift, 
4od  other  learned  men  of  their  time,  as  he  had  been  of 
jPryden,  who  acknowledges  bis  kindness  and  partiality* 
flie  "Account  of  the  Earl  of  Peterborough's  conduct  in 
Spain,"  taken  from  his  original  letters  and  papers,  waa 
drawn  up  by  Dr.  Freind,  and  published  in  1707,  Svo.  Dr» 
JBreiud  says,  that  ".  he  never  ordered  off  a  detachment  of 

,  9  See  Swift's  humorous  but  accurate  portrait  of  him,  in  vol.  VII.  pf  35,  of 

wichotfi  edition  of  Swift's  Works. 

■  *  •'.'•■  *    '  i  • 


343  MORDAUNT. 

«  hundred  men,  without  going  with  them  himself."  Of 
bis  own  courage  his  lordship  used  to  say,  that  it  proceeded  ' 
from  his  not  knowing  his  danger ;  agreeing  in  opinion,  with 
Turenrre,  that  a  coward  had  only  one  of  the  three  faculties 
of  the  mind-*- apprehension.  ■  Of  his  liberality,  we  have, this 
instance,  that  the  remittances  expected  from  England,  not 
coming  to  his  troops  when  he  commanded  in  Spain,  he  it 
•aid  to  have  supplied  them  for  some  time  with  money  from 
his  own  pocket/  In  this  he  differed  considerably  from  his 
grtat*  contemporary  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  and  the  dif- 
ference is  stated  in  one  of  his  best  bon-mots.  Being:  onx^ 
taken  by  the  mob  for  the  duke,  who  was  then  in  disgrace 
.with  them,  he  would  probably  have  been  roughly  treated 
by  thesg  friends  to  summary  justice,  had  he  not  addressed 
I  hem  in  these  words:  "  Gentlemen,  I  can  convince  yott 
by. two  reasons  that  I  am  not  the  duke.  In  the  first  place, 
-]  have  only  five  guineas  in  my  pocket;  and  in  the  second, 
they  are  heartily  at  your  service."  So  throwing  his  purse 
among  them,  he  pursued  his  way  amid  loud  acclamations. 
Many  other  witticisms  may  be  seen  in  our  authorities, 
which  are  less  characteristic.  i 

-  His. lordship  married  Carey;  daughter  to  sir  Alexander 
Eraser,  of  Dotes,  in  the  shire  of  Mearns,  in  Scotland,  and 
by  her  (who  died  May  13,  1709)  he  had  two  sons,.  John 
and  Henry,  who  both  died  before  him,  and  a  daughter^ 
Henrietta,  married  to  Alexander  second  duke  of  Gordon. 
He  was  succeeded  in  titles  and  estate  by  a  grandson; 
Charles.  He  married  as  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Anastasia 
Robinson,  a  celebrated  singer,  of  whom  Dr.  Burney  has 
given  a  very  particular  account  in  vol., IV.  of  his.  *'  History 
nf  Music/'  To  this  lady  he  was  ardently  attached,  and 
behaved  to  her  with,  great  delicacy  and*  propriety,  but  hja 
pride  revolted  at  the  match,  and  he  kept  it  secret  until  a 
very  short  period  before  his  death.  Of  the  lady  herself  he 
bad,  according  to  every  account,  no  reason  to  be  ashamed; 
but  a  connection  of  this  kind  had  not  then  become  so  com- 
mon as  we  bave>of  late  witnessed.  How  long  he  was  mar- 
ried to  her«  does  not  appear.  She  survived  him  fifteen 
years,  residing  in  an  exalted  station,  and  visited  by  per- 
sons of  the  first  rank,  partly  at  Bevis  Mount,,  his  lordship's 
teat  near  Southampton,  and  partly  at  Fulhanvo?  perhaps 
at  Peterborough-house  at  Parson's  green.  Lord  Peter* 
tooroiijgh  had  written  his M  Own  Memoirs,"  which  this  lady 
destroyed,  from  a  regard  to  bis  reputation*    Tradition  says, 


MGSDA.CNT.      *  *4* 

that  in  these  .ihemoirs  be  cohfessed  lais  having  committed 
three  capital  crimes  before  he  was  twenty  yfears  tff  age; 
This  we  hope  has  been  exaggerated  ;  but  it  seems  allowed 
that  his  morals  were  loose,  and  that  he  wfes  a  freethinker- i: 
'  MORE  (Alexander),  a  preacher  of  some  celebrity 
among  the  French  protestants,  was  the  son  of  aScotchmarij 
who  was  principal  of  %the  college  at  Castres  in  Languedoc^ 
&tid  born  thefle  in  1616.  When  he  was  about  twenty,  he 
was'sent  to'  Geneva  to  study  divinity;  and  finding,  upon 
his  arrival,  that  the  chair  of  the  Greek' professor  was  va- 
cant, he  became  a  candidate  for  it,  and  gained  it  against 
competitors  greatly  beyond  himself  in  years.  Having  ex- 
ercised this  office  for  -about  three  years,  he  succeeded 
Spanheim,  who  was  called  away  to  Leyden,  in  the  fune«* 
tions  of  divinityiprofessor  find  minister  of  Gene vai"  :Ashe 
was  a  favourite  preacher,  and  a  man  of  great  learning,  he 
appears' to  hfcve  excited  the  jfealbusy  of  a  party  which  was 
formed  against  hirh  at  Geneva. '  He  had,  however,  secured 
the  good  opinion  of  Saltnasius,  who  procured  him  the  di- 
vinity-professor's place  afr  Middlebourg,  together  with  the 
parish-church,  which  occasioned  him  to  depart  from  Ge- 
neva in  1649.-  iFhe  gentlemen  of  Amsterdam,  at  his  arri- 
val in  Holland,  offered  him  the  professorship  of  History, 
which  was  become  vacant  by- the  death  of  Vdssius ;  but, 
iiot  being  able  to  detafth  hita  from  bis  engagements  to  the 
city  of  MiddlebduTg,  they  gave  if  to  David  Blonde!,  yet, 
upon  a  second  offet;  he  accepted  it  about  three  years 
after.  In  1654;  he  left  his  professorship  of  history  for  some 
time  to  take  a  jourriey  into  Italy  ;  where1  it  is  said  he  was 
greatly  noticed  by  the  d  uke  •  of  Tfescany.  :  During  his  stay 
in  Italy,  he  wrote  a  beautiful  poem  updn  the  defeat  of  the 
Turkish  fleet  by  the  Venetians,  and  was  honoured  with  a 
chain  of  gold  by  the  repubHc  of  Venice.  He  returned  ta 
bts  charge;  and,  after  sortie  contests- with  the  Waltooni 
synods,  went  into  France,  to-  bfe  -  ordained  minister  of  the 
church  of  Paris.  But  here^he  met  with  many  opponents, 
his  character,  as  is*  said,  being  somewhat  ambiguous  both 
in  regard  to  faith  and  morals.  He  succeeded,  however, 
ih  being  received  minister  of  the  church  of -Paris,  although 
his  reputation  continued  to  be  attacked  by;  people  of  merit 

.  ■*  Birch V  Lives  to  the  Illustrious  Heads.-^poUins's  Peerage tby^v  Btltoydgef* 
— -Walpole*s  Hoy  a  I  aud  Noble  Authors  by  Park — Capt.  Carleloo's  Memoir*, 
lately  republished. — Swift's  and  Pope's  Works,  by  Nichols  and  Bowles  $  teeUj* 
reapective  Indexes.— Seward's  Anecdotes  and  Biographiana. 


*«»  MORE.. 

and  consequence,  who  presented  him  again  to  the'  synods 
from  whose  censures  be  escaped  with  great  difficulty,  and[ 
had  again  to  encounter  in  1661.  About  this  time  be  went 
to  England,  and  on  his  return  six  months  afterwards,  the; 
complaints  against  him  were  immediately  renewed.  He 
died  at  Paris,  in  the  duchess  of  Rohan's  bouse,  in  Septem- 
ber 1670.  if 
.  He  published  some  works :  among  which  are  a  treatise 
"  De  Gratia  &  Libera  Arbitrio ;"  and  another,  "  De  Script 
tura  Sacra,  sive  de  Causa  Dei ;"  •  *  A  Comment  on  the; 
fifty-third  Chapter  of  Isaiah ;"  "  Not*  ad  Loca  qttsdam 
Novi  Foederis  j"  a  reply  to  Milton's  abuse  of  him  in  bis 
"  Second  Defence  of  the  people  of  England:"  thi*  reply, 
gf  which  much  may  be  seen  in  our  second  authority,  bas  the 
title  of  "  Alexandri  Mori  Fides  publica :"  some  "  Orations 
and  Poems  in  Latin." ' 

MORE  (Sir  Antowio),  an  eminent  artist  of  the  six* 
teenth  century,  was  born  at  Utrecht  in  1519,  and  was  the 
scholar  of  John  Schorel,  but  seems  to  have  studied  the 
manner  of  Holbein,  to  which  he  approached  nearer  than 
to  the  freedom  of  design  in  the  worfcs  of  the  great  masters 
that  he  saw  at  Rome.  Like  Holbein  he  was  a  close  imita- 
tor of  nature,  but  did  not  arrive  at  hi*  extreme  delicacy  of 
finishing ;  on  the  contrary,  Antonio  sometimes  struck  into 
a  bold  and  masculine  style,  with  a  good  knowledge  of 
chiaro-scuro.  Among  other  portraits  be  drew  Philip  If* 
and  was  recommended  by  cardinal  Granvelle  to  Charles  V, 
who  sent  him  to  Portugal,  where  he  painted  John  III.  the 
king,  Catharine  of  Austria,  bis  queen,  and  the  infants 
Mary,  first  wife  of  Pbflip.  For  these  three  pictures  he 
received  six  hundred  ducats,  besides  a  gold  chain  of  a 
thousand  florins,  and  other  presents.  He  had  one  hundred1 
ducats  for  his  common  portraits.  But  still  ampler  rewards 
were  bestowed  on  him  when  sent  into  England  to  draw  the 
picture  of  queen  Mary,  the  intended  bride  of  Philip.  They 
gave  him  one  hundred  pounds  a  quarter  as  painter  to  their 
majesties.  He  made  various  portraits  of  the  queen :  on£ 
was  sent  by  cardinal  Granvelle  to  the  emperor,  who  ordered 
two  hundred  florins  to  Antonio.  He  remained  in  England* 
during  the  reign  of  Mary,  and  was  much  employed  ;  but: 
having  neglected,  as  is  frequent,  to  write  the  names  on  the 
portraits  he  drew,  most  .of  them  have  lost  part  of  their 

*  Gen,  Diet,  by  Bayle,  in  art.  Morus.^Symmoas'g  Life  tf  Milton;  tee  lades.  , 


MORE*  SSI 

Vrihie,    by  our  ignorance  of   the   persons    representee!; 
Though  portraits  was  the  branch  in  which  More  chiefly  ex* 
gelled*  he  was  not  without  talent  for  history.     In  this  be 
bad  something  of  the  Italian  style  in  his  design,  and  his 
colouring  resembled  that  of  Titian.    A  'very  fine  work  of 
his,  representing  the  Ascension  of  our  Saviour,  is  in  the 
gallery  of  the  Louvre  at  Paris.    The  style  of  the  compo- 
sition, which  consists  of  Jesus  Christ  ascending,  crowned 
by .  two  angels,  and  accompanied  by  the  figures  of  St.  ^ 
Peter  and  St.  Paul,  is  of  the  severe  and  grand  cast  em- 
ployed by  Fra.  Bartolomeo ;  the  colouring  is  exceedingly 
fine,  and  correspondent  to  the  style  of  design;  he  has 
been,  least  successful  in  the  expression  of  the  principal 
figure;  if  that  bad  been  more  just  and  grand,  this  picture 
would  alone  place  More  among  the  very  first  class  of  artist*. 
On  the  death  of  the  queen,  be  followed  Philip  into  Spain; 
where  be  was  indulged  in  so  much  familiarity,  that  one 
day  the  king  slapping  him  pretty  roughly  on  the  shoulder, 
More .  returned  the  spot  with  his  handstick.    A  strange 
liberty  to  be  taken  with  a  Spanish  monarch,  and  with  such 
a  monarch  i    His  biographer  gives  but  an  awkward  account 
of  the  sequel,  and,  says  Mr.  Walpole,  "  I  repeat  it  as  I 
find  it     A  grandee  interposed  for  his  pardon,  and  he  wai 
permitted  to  retire  to  the  Netherlands,  but  on  the  promise 
of  returning  again  to  Spain*    I  should  rather  suppose  that 
he  was  promised  to  have  leave  to  return  hither  after  a  ten*- 
p*>r*ry  banishment;  and  this  supposition  is  the  more  likely, 
as  Philip  for  once  forgetting  majesty  in  his  love  of  the  arts, 
dispatched  a  messenger  to  recal  him  before  he  httd  finished 
his  journey.    But  the  painter,  sensible  of  the  danger  he 
had  escaped,  modestly  excused  himself. *  And '  yet,  says 
the  story,,  the  king  bestowed  noble  presents  and  places  on 
j^s  children*"      At  Utrecht,  Antqpio  found  the  duke  of 
Alva,  and  was  employed  by  him  to  paint  some  of  his  mis- 
tresses, and  was  made  receiver  of  the  revenues  of  West 
Flanders,  a  preferment*  with  which  they  say  he  was  so 
elated,  that  he  burned  his  easel,  and  gave  away  his  p&iftt* 
ling- tools.  He  was  a  man  of  a  stately  and  handsome  figure; 
atid  often  went  to  Brussels,  where  he  lived  magnificently. 
Hediedat  Antwerp,  in  1575,  in  the  fifty-sixth  year  of  hisag& 
...,  MORE,  or  MOORE  (Sir  Francis),  son  of  Edward  More, 
fMfc  by  Elizabeth  bis  wife,  daughter  and  heir  of  one  Hal*; 

*  Walpol^t  A»«t&ft»  <—PiAki*ftoB,  by  Fu»el^R«e»  VCjclop*di», 


$52  Mor  £: 

f 

6f  Tilehurst  in  Berkshire,'  w&*  born  at  East  tiiWesty,  Iff 
th^t  county,  in  1558.  He  was,  admitted  of  St  John's  col* 
lege,  Oxford,,  whence  he  removed  to  the  Middle  Temple,1 
where  hp  made  a  very  considerable  proficiency,  and  be-* 
came  a  person  of  eminence  in  his  profession,  both  for  hit 
knpwledge  and  integrity.  H^  died*  Nov*'  20,  16&1,  and 
was  buried  at,  Great  Fawley,  near  Wantagd  in  Berkshire* 
JHis  works  are,  "  Cases  collected  and  reported/*  London,- 
.1663,  in  folio.  They  were  afterwards  abridged  by  Mr. 
Hughes,  and  printed  in  1665,:  8vo<  .His: reading  upon 
4  Jac.  L  in  the  Middle  Temple,  concerning  charitable  uses, 
as  abridged  by  himself,,  was  published  to  1676,  folio,  by 
Air.  Duke,  of  the.  Inner  Temple.  Sir  Francis  More  was  a 
member  of  that  parliament  which  passed  the  statutes  fo# 
charitable  uses;  and,  it  is  said,  the  bill,  as  it  passed,  wirt 
penned  by  him..  In  sir  Francis's  reports,  the  readier  may 
see  the  famous  case  of  the:  Post  Nati,  argued  before  the 
JLords  and  Commons  in  the  painted  chamber,  and  the  t&so* 
JutiQn  of  alLtbe  reverend  judges  upon  the  satihe.  ~A  MS. 
pfhis,  consisting  of  reports  of  cases  principallysigteeing 
with  those  in  print,  but  with  a  greater  number  of  references 
to  authorities,  is  in  the  bands  of  Mr.  Brooke*  compiler  of 
*be  "Bibliojtheca  Legum  Anglia*."1  .       :  i 

MORE  (Dr.  Henry),  an  eminent  English  divine  and 
4>hiJosopher,  was  the  second  soa  of  Alexander  More,  esq: 
and  born  at  Grantham  in  Lincolnshire,  Oct.  12,  1614.  His 
parents,  being  zealous  Calvinists,  took  especial  care  to 
breed  up  their  sen  in  Calvinistic  principles ;  and,  with  this 
design*  provided  him  with  a  private  master  of  their  own 
persuasion,  under  whose  direction  he  continued  tilt  he  was 
fourteen  years  of  age.  Then,  at  the  instigation  <rf  his 
tfgcte*  who  discerned  in  him  very  uncommon  talents,  he 
was  sent  to  Eton-school,  in  order  to-be  perfected  in  the 
.Greek  and  Latin  tongues;  carrying  with  him  a?  strict 
cfe^rge  not  to  .redede  from  die  principles  in  which  he  had 
Jheen  ao  carefully  trained.  Here,  however,  he  abandoned 
14s  Calvinistic  opinions,  as  far  as  regarded  predestination } 
pod,  although  bis  uncle  not  only  chid-  him  severely,  but 
£v?n  threatened  him  with  correction,- for  his  immature  phi- 
Jowpbissing  in  such  matters ;  yet  he  persisted  ift  his  om* 
jrion.  In  1631,  after  he  had  spent  three  years  at  Eton, lie 
p**  admitted  erf, Christ's  college  in  Cambridge,  and,  at  hit 

*  Ath.  Qx.voL  !•— BriclgMii'f  I*f*l  Bibliography* 


MO'S  E.  S5$ 

own  earnest  solicitations,  under  a  tutor  that  was  not  a  Cal- 
vinist.  Here,  as  he  informs  us,  "  he  plunged  himself  im- 
mediately over  head  and  ears  in  philosophy,  and  applied 
himself  to  the  works  of  Aristotle,  Cardan,  Julius  Scaliger, 
and  other  eminent  philosophers  ;"  all  which  he  read  over 
before  he  took  his  "bachelor  of  arts9  degree,  which  was  in. 
1635.  But  these  did  not  answer  his  expectations ;  their 
manner  of  philosophising  did  not  fall  in  with  his  peculiar 
turn  of  mind';  nor  did  he,  feel  any  of  that  high  delight, 
which  he  had  promised  himself  from  these  studies.  This 
disappointment,  therefore,  induced  him  to  search  for  what 
he  wanted  in  the  Platonic  writers  and  mystic,  divines,  such 
as  Marsitius  Ficinus,  Plotinus,  Trismegistus,  &c.  where  his 
enthusiasm  appears  to  have  been  highly  gratified.  Among 
all  the  writings  of  this  kind,  there  was  none  which  so  much 
affected**  him  as  the  4i  Theologia  Germanica,"  once  a  fa- 
vourite book  with  Luther.  This  was  written  by  one  John 
Taulerus,  a  Dominican  monk,  in  the  fourteenth  century  ; 
and  who,  being  supposed  by  the  credulity  of  that  age  to 
be  favoured  With  revelations  from  heaven,  was  styled  the 
"illuminated  divine."  He  preached  chiefly  at  Cologne  and 
Strasburg,  and  died  in  1631.  His  book,  written  in  Ger- 
man, was  translated  into  Latin,  first  by  Surius,  and  after- 
wards by  Sebastian  Castalio  ;  and  it  went  through  a  great 
number  of  editions  from  1518  to  1700,  when  it  was  printed 
in  French  at  Amsterdam.  * 

The  pretensions,  which  such  autholrs  as  we  have  just 
mentioned,  make  of  arriving  at  extraordinary  degrees  of 
illumination  by  their  institutes,  entirely  captivated  More V 
fancy ;  who  pursued  their  method  with  great  seriousness 
and  intense  application ;  and,  in  three  or  four  years,  had 
reduced  himself  to  so  thin  a  stkte  of  body,  and  began  to 
talk  in  such  a  manner  of  experiences  and  communications, 
as  brought  him  into  a  suspicion  of  being  touched  with  en- 
thusiasm.    In  1640,  he  composed  his  "  Psycho-Zoia,  or 
the  Life  of  the  Soul ;"  which,  with  an  additiort  of  other 
poems,  he  republished  in  1647,  8vo,  under  the  title  of 
"  Philosophical  Poems,"  and  dedicated  to  his  father.     He 
takes  notice,  in  his  dedication,  that  his  father  used  to  read 
to  his  children  on  winter  nights  "  Spenser's  Fairy  Queen,9' 
with  which  our  author  was  highly  delighted,  and  whteh,  he 
sayfe  in.  the  dedication,  "  first  turned  his  ears  to  poetry.0 
In  1639,  he  had  taken  his  master  of  arts9  degree ;  and,  be- 
ing chosen  fellow  of  his  college,  became  tutor  to  several 

Vou  XXII.  A  a 


$5*  MOB?. 

persons  of  great  quality.  One  of  these  was  sir  Johu  Fineb, 
whose  sister  lady  Convey  was,  an  enthusiast  of  his,  emu 
s^auop,  and  became  at  length  a  %w*ker,  although  he  h* 
boured  fp*  many  years  to  reclaim  her.  .  He  still,  howw«er, 
had  a  grea,t  esteem  for  heir;  and  drew  up.  some  of  his 
"  Treatise*"  at  her  particular  request ;  and  she,  in  retain, 
left  Jiiin  a  legacy  of  40Q&  He  composed  others  of  his 
works  at  Raglqy,  the  seal  pf  her  Wd  in  Warwickshire^ 
where,  a*  interval,  be  spent  *  considerable  part  of  his 
tiiqq.  He  met  here  with  two  extraordinary  persons*  the 
famous  Van  Helmont,  and  the.  oo  less  famous  Vakatsoe 
Qreatrsdte*;,  for,  it  seews,  lady  Ccawqy  waa  frequently 
a$$icted  with  violent  pains  y\  her  head,  and  these  two  per- 
sons were  called  in,  at  different  tiaxes,  to  try  their  power* 
qpofl  her ;  and,  at  bat,  Van  Hehnont  lived  in  the  family. 
There  was  puce,  a  design  pf  printing  some  remains  of  this 
lady  after  her  death ;,  and  the  preface  was  actually  wnfctm 
by  ou*  author  under  the  person  el  Van  Heksont;  in.  which 
disguise  be  draws  her  character  with  so  much,  address,  thai 
we  fire  told  the  naost.  rigid  quaker  would  see  every  thing 
he  coi)id  wish  in  it,  and  yet  the-  soberest  Christian  be  en- 
tirely satisfied  with  it.     It  is  printed  at  large  ia  his  life. 

In  1675,  hq  accepted  Si  prebend  in  the  church  of  Glou- 
cester, .being  collated  to  it  by; lady  Conway's  brother,  lord' 
Fiqcb,  wbo  wfrs  then  chancellor  pf , England*,  and  afterwards* 
earl  of  Nottingham;  but  soon  resigned  it  ta  Dr.  Edward 
Fowler,  afterwards  bishop  of  Gloucester,  eo  who**  it  was 
conferred  at  bis  request.  It  was  thought  tqr  b$  with  this 
view  that  Dr.  More  accepted  of  this  preferment^  k  being 
tbe  only  one  he  could  ever  be  induced  to  accept,  after  he 
had  devoted  himself  to.  a  college  life,  which  he  did  very 
garly  ;  for,  in  1 642,  he  resigned  tbe  jrectory  of  IagoMebjr 
in  Lincolnshire, .  soon  after  he  had  been»  presented  to  k  by 
his  father,  who  bad  bought  the  perpetual  advowson  of  it 
for  him.  Here  he  made  himself  a,  paradise,  as  he  expresses- 
it  ;  aijd  he  wa*  so  fearful  of  hurting  it  by  any  change  in 
his  present  situation,  that  he  e?eu  declined  the  mastership 
of  k?is  own  college,  into  which,  it  is.  said,  he  might  have 
been  elected  in  1654,  in,,  preference  to  Dr.,  Cud  worth. 
After  this,  we  cannot  be  surprised  .that  he  withstood  to» 
rioys,  solicitations,  particularly  to  accept  the  deanery  of' 
Christ  church  in  Dublin*  and  the  prorostsbip  of  Trinity 
college,  as.  wejl  as  the  deanery  of  St.  Patrick's ;  but  these 
hg  persisted  in  refusing,  although  he  waa  assured  they  weft 


MORE,  $5$ 

designed  only  to  pave  the  way  to  something  higher,  there 
being  two  bishoprics  in  view  offered  to  his  choice,  one  of 
wi)i<?h  was  valued  at  1500/.  per  anntim.  This  attempt  to 
draw  him  into  Ireland  proving  insufficient*  a  very  good 
bishopric  was  procured  for  him  in  England ;  and  his  friends 
got  him  as  far  as  Whitehall,  in  order  to  kiss  his  majesty's* 
hand  for  it;  but  as  soon  as  be  understood  the  business, 
which  had  hitherto  been  concealed  from  him,  he  could  not 
be  prevailed  on  to  stir  a  step  farther. 

During  the  rebellion  he  was  suffered  to  enjoy  the  stu- 
dious retirement  be  had  chosen^  although  he  bad  made 
himself  obnoxious,  by  constantly  refusing  to  take  the  cove- 
nant. He  saw  and  lamented  the  miseries  of  his  country  ; 
but,  in  general,  Arohimedes  like,  he  was  so  busy  in  his 
chamber  as  to  mind  very  little  what  was  doing  without.  He 
had  a  great  esteem  for  Des  Cartes,  with  whom  he  held  a 
correspondence  upon  several  points  of  his  philosophy.  He 
devoted  his  whole  life  to  the  writing  of  books ;  and  it  is 
certain,  that  his  parts  and  learning  were  universally  ad~ 
mired.  On  this  account  be  was  called  into  the  Royal  So- 
ciety, with  a  view  of  giving  reputation  to  it,  before  its 
establishment  by  the  royal  charter ;  for  which  purpose  he 
wad  proposed  as  a  candidate  by  Dr.  Wilkins  and  Dr.  Cud- 
worth,  June  4,  1661,  and  elected  fellow  soon  after.  His 
writings, became  so  popular,  that  Mr.  ChishnU,  an  eminent 
bookseller,  declared,  that,  for  twenty  years  together,  afteiv 
tbfc  return  of  Charles  II.  the  "  Mystery  of  Godliness/'  and 
Dr.  JVfore's  other  works,  ruled  all  the  booksellers  in  Lon- 
don ;  and  a  very  remarkable  testimony  of  their  esteem  was 
given  by  John  Cockshuit  of  the  Inner  Temple,  esq.  who, 
by  bk  last  will,  left  S00/.  to  have  three  of  bis  principal 
pieces  translated  into  Latin.  These  were  his"Myste*y 
pf  Godliness,"  "  Mystery  of  Iniquity,"  and  his  "  Philoso- 
phical Collections."  This  legacy  induced  our  -  author  to 
translate,  together  with  these,  the  rest  of  his  English'  works 
which  be  thought  worth  printing,  into  that  language;  and 
the  whole  collection  was  published  hi  1679,  in  three  large 
volumes,  folio.  In undertakingthe  translation  himself,  his 
design  was  to  appropriate  Mr.  Cockshuit's.  legacy  to  the 
founding  of  three  scholarships  tin  Christ's  college;  but  a* 
they  could  not  be  printed  and  published  without  consuming 
the  greatest  part  of  it,  he  made  up  this  loss  by  other  dcnta-* 
tkms  in  his  life-time,  *nd  by  the  perpetuity  of  the  rectory 
of  Idgoldsby,  which  he  left  to  the  college  by  will.    He 

A  A  2 


356  M  6  R  E. 

died  Sept  1,  1687,  in  his  seventy-third  year ;  and  was  ber- 
ried in  the  chapei  of  his  college,  where  lie  also  Mr.  Mede 
and  Dr.  Cudworth,  two  other  contemporary  ornaments  of 
that  foundation. 

Dr.  More  was  in  his  person  tall,  thin,  but  well  propor- 
tioned ;  his  countenance  serene  and  lively,  and  his  eye 
sharp  and  penetrating.  He  was  a  man  of  great  genius, 
and  of  very  extensive  learning,  which  may  be  discovered 
in  his  writings,  amidst  their  deep  tincture  of  mysticism.' 
It  was  bis  misfortune  to  be  of  opinion,  like  many  of  his 
contemporaries,  that  the  wisdom  of  the  Hebrews  had  been 
transmitted  to  Pythagoras,  and  from  him  to  Plato ;  and 
consequently,  that  the  true  principles  of  divine  philosophy 
were  to  be  found  in  the  writings  of  the  Platonists.  At  the 
same  time,  he  was  persuaded  that  the  ancient  Cabbalistic 
philosophy  sprang  from  the  same  fountain ;  and  therefore 
endeavoured  to  lay  open  the  mystery  of  this  philosophy, 
by  shewing  its  agreement  with  the  doctrines  of  Pythagoras 
and  Plato,  and  pointing  out  the  corruptions  which  bad 
been  introduced  by  the  modern  Cabbalists.  The  Carte- 
sian system. was,  as  we  have  noticed,  embraced  by  More,  as 
on  the  whole  consonant  to  his  ideas  of  nature  ;  and  he  took 
much  pains  to  prove  that  it  was  not  inconsistent  with  the 
Cabbalistic  doctrine.  His  penetrating  understanding,  bow- 
ever,  discovered  defects  in  this  new  system,  which  he  en- 
deavoured to  supply. 

With  these  opinions,  he  was  accounted  a  man  of  the 
most  ardent  piety,  and  of  an  irreproachable  life.  Dr.  Ou- 
tran said  "  that  he  looked  upon  Dr.  More  as  the  holiest 
person  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.*9  His  temper  was  na- 
turally grave  and  thoughtful,  but  at  some  times,  be  "could 
relax  into  gay  conversation' and*  pleasantry.  After  finishing 
some  of  his  writings/ which  had  occasioned  much  fatigue, 
he  said,  u  Now,  for  these  three  months,  I  will  neither 
think  a  wise  thought,  nor  speak  a  wise  word,  nor  do  any  ill 
thing."  He  was  subject  to  fits  of  extacy,  during  which 
he  seemed  so  entirely  swallowed  up  in  joy  and  happiness, 
that  Mr.  Norris  styles  him  the  "  intellectual  Epioure."  He 
was  meek  and  humble,  liberal  to  the  poor,  and  of  a  very 
kind  and  benevolent  spirit.  He  once  said  to  a  friend, 
"  that  he  was  thought  by  some  to  have  a  soft  head,  but  he 
thanked  God  he  bad  a  soft  heart,"  and  gave  at  that  time 
the  sum  of  50/.«  to  a  clergyman's  widow.  Bishop  Burnet 
calls  him  "an  open-hearted  and  sincere  Christian  philo- 


MORE.  357 

aopber,,  who  studied  to  establish  men  in  the  great  princi- 
ples of  religion  against  atheism,  which  was  then  beginning 
to  gain  ground,  chiefly  by  reason  of  the  hypocrisy  of  sortie, 
.and  the  fantastical  conceits  of  the  more  sincere  enthusiasts." 
.His  writings  have  n.ot  of  late  years  been  in  much  request, 
although  all  of  them  were  read  and  admired  in  his  day. 
, Addison  styles  his  "Enchiridion  Ethicum"  an  admirable 
system  of  ethics;  but  none  of  his  works  appear  to  have 
been  more  relished  than  his  "  Divine  Dialogues"  concern- 
ing the  attributes  and  providence  of  God.     Dr.  Blair  says 
of  this. work,  that  though  Dr.  Mora's  style  be  now  in  some 
measure  obsolete,  and  his  speakers  marked  with  the  aca- 
demic stiffness  of  those  times,  yet  the  dialogue  is  ani- 
mated by  a  variety  of  character,  and  a  sprightliness  of  con- 
versation, beyond  what  are  commonly  met  with  in  writings 
of  this  kind.1 

MORE,  or  MOORE  (James,  esq.),  was  the  son  of  Ar- 
.ihur  More,  esq.  one  off  the  lords-commissioners  of  trade  in 
the  reign  of  queen.  Anne ;  and  his  mother  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  Smyth,  who  left  this,  his  grandson,  an  handsome 
estate,  upon  which  account  he  obtained  an  act  of  parlia- 
ment to  change  his  name  from  More  to  Smyth ;  and,  be- 
sides this  estate,  at  the  death  of  his  grandfather,  he  bad 
.his  place  of  pay-master  to  the  band  of  gentlemen-pen- 
sioners, with  his  younger  brother  Arthur  More,  esq.     He 
was  bred  at  Worcester  college,  Oxford ;  and,  while  he  was 
'there,  wrote  a  comedy,  called  "The  Rival  Modes."    This 
.play  was  condemned  in  the  acting,  but  he  printed  it  in. 
,1727,  with  the  following  motto,  which  the  commentator 
.on  the  Dunciad,  by  way  of  irony,  calls  modest :  "  Hie 
csestus  artemque  repono."     Being  of  a  gay  disposition,  he 
insinuated  himself  into  the  favour  of  thp  duke  of  Wharton ; 
and  being  also,  like  him,  destitute  of  prudence,  he  joined 
with  that  nobleman  in  writing  a  paper,  called  "  The  In- 
quisitor ;"  which  breathed  so  much  the  spirit  of  Jacobitism, 
.that  the  publisher  thought  proper  to  sacrifice  his  profit  to 
his  safety,  and  discontinue  it.    By  using  too  much  freedom 
with  Pope,  he  occasioned  that  poet  to  stigmatize  hini  in 
his  Dunciad  : 

"  Never  was  dash'd  out  at  one  lucky  hit, 
A  fool  so  just  a  copy  of  a  wit : 

1  Life  b?  Richard  Ward,  A.M.  rector  of  Ingoldsbyin  Lincolnshire,  1710, 8ra— 
Biog.  Brit — Burset's  Own  Times. — Birch's  Life  of  Tillotson.— Blair's  Lecluref. 
— Brucker's  Hist  of  Philosophy,  by  EnQeld.— Censura  Literaria,  Vol.  III. 


35S  M  O  R  t. 

So  like,  that  critics  said,  and  cjourtkri  twoite, 
A  wit  it  was,  and  pall'd  the  phantom  Mon&T 

The  whole  is  a  clear,  energetic,  and  lively  description,  Arid, 
us  Dr.  Young,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  More,  told 
Dr.  War-ton,  this  portrait  is  not  over-charged.  Some  have 
thought  that  Pope's  character  of  Macer  was  intended  also 
for  More,  but  the  leanness  there  alluded  to  cannot  apply  to 
More,  if  the  above  description  be  just  The  pastoral 
Philips  is  more  probably  Macer. 

The  cause  of  the  quarrel  between  Mote  and  Pope  was 
this :  In  a  letter  published  in  the  Daily  Journal,  March  18, 
1798,  writteri  by  the  former,  there  are  the  following  words: 
"  Upon  reading  the  third  volume  of  Pope's  Miscellanies,  I 
found  five  lines,  which  I  thought  excellent :  and,  happen- 
ing   to   praise  them,    a  gentleman  produced  a  modern 
comedy,  '  The  Rival  Modes,9  where  were  the  same  verses 
to  a  tittle.    These  gentlemen  are  undoubtedly  the  first 
plagiaries,  who  pretend  to  make  a  reputation  by  stealing 
from  a  man's  works  in  bis  own  life-time,  and  out  of  a  pub- 
lic print."     But  it  appears,  from  the  notes  to  the  Dunciad, 
that  More  himself  borrowed  the  lines  from  Pope;  for,  in 
*  letter  to  Pope,  dated  Jan.  27,  1726,  he  observes,  that 
"  these  verses,  which  he'  had  before  given  him  leave  to 
insert  in  '  The  Rival  Modes,9  would  be  known  for  his,  some 
copied  being  got  abroad.     He  desires  nevertheless,  that, 
$wce  the  lines  in  his  comedy  have  been  read  to  several, 
Pope  would  not  deprive  it  of  them."     As  proofs  of  this 
circumstance,*  are  brought  the  testimonies  of  lord  Boling* 
broke,  and  the  lady  of  Hugh  Bethel,  esq.  to  whom  the 
verses  •  were  originally  addressed,  who  knew  them  to  'bfe 
Pope's  long  before  "  The  Rival  Modes"  was  written.  This 
gentleman  died  in  1734,  at  Whister,  near  Isleworth  in 
Middlesex,  for  which  county  he  was  a  justice  of  peace. 
Notwithstanding  bis  quarrel  with  Pope,  he  was  certainly  a 
than  of  parts  and  politeness,  or  the  poet  would  never  havfe 
introduced  bim,  as  he  did,  no  the  earl  of  Peterborough's 
Acquaintance;  but  his  misfortune  was,  as  the  commenta- 
tor on  the  Dunciad  observes,  too  inordinate  a  passion  to 
be  thought  a  wit.1 

MORE  (Sir  Thomas),  chancellor  of  England  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII.  and  one  of  the  most  illustrious  cha- 


*  Gent. .  Mag.  rol.  XLIX.— »Biog.  Dram.— Pope's  Works,  by  Bowles  ,•  s& 
Me*,  Moore  tad  Smyth. 


M  O  ft  fi.    '  3f? 

rftfcttrs  of  that  period,  was  born  in  Milk-street,  London,  in 
1480,  He  was  the  son  of  sir  John  More,  knight,  one  of 
tb*  judges  of  the  king's  bench,  and  a  iftan  of  great  abili- 
ties and  in  tfegrity.  Sir  John  had  also  much  of  that  plea- 
sant wit,  for  which  his  son  was  afterwards  so  distinguished ; 
and/  as  a  specimen  of  it,  Camden  relates.,  that  he  would 
cocftpire  the  danger  in  the  choice  of  a  wife  to  that  of  put- 
ting a  man's  hand  into  a  bag  full  of  snakes,  with  only  one 
eel  in  it ;  where  he  may,  indeed,  chance  td  light  of  the  eel, 
but  it  is  aft  hundred  to  one  be  te  stung  by  a  snake.  It  has 
been  observed,  however,  thai  sir  John  ventured  to  put  his 
haftd  thtee  times  into  this  bag,  for  he  married  three  wives ; 
'  nor  was  the  sting  so  hurtful  as  to  prevent  his  arriving  at 
thfc  age  of  nitiety;  arid  then  he  did  not  die  of  old  age,  but  of 
a  surfeit,  occasioned  by  eating  grapes.  Sfr  Thomas  was 
his  son  by  his  first  toife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Hand- 
combe.  He  was  educated  in  London,  at  a  free-s  hool  of 
great  repute  at  that  tipie  in  Threadneedle-street,  called  St. 
Ahthony's,'  where  archbishop  Whitgift,  and  other  eminent 
men^  had  beeti  brought  up ;  and  here  he  thade  a  progress 
in  gTatamar-learning,  suitable  to  his  uncomritoh  parts  and 
amplication.  He  was  afterwards  placed  in  the  family  of 
cardinal  Morton,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  a*nd  chancellor 
of  England:  a  method  of  education  much  practised  in 
those  times,  but  chiefly  in  the  case  of  noblemen's  sonsj 
with  whom  sir' John  More  might  be  supposed  to  rank',  from 
the  high  office  be  held.  The  cardinal  was  delighted  with 
his  ingenuous  modesty,  and  with  the  vivacity  and  quick- 
ness of  his  wit,  of  which  he  gave  surprising  instances ;  one 
of  which  was,  that  while  the  players  ill  Christmas  holidays 
were  acting  there,  he  would  sometimes  suddenly  step  in 
among  them,  and,  without  any  previous  study,  make  &  part 
of  his  ovtn,  to  the  great  diversion  of  the  audience.  The 
cardinal  indeed  conceived  so  high  an  opinidn  of  his  fa- 
vourite pupil,  that  he  used  frequently  to  say  to  those  about 
bim,  that  "  More,  whosoever  should  live  to  see  it,  would 
one  day  prove  a  marvellous  man.** 

In  1 497,  he  was  sent  to  Canterbury  college,  now  pari 
0f  Christ  church,  in  Oxford  ;  where  he  heard  the  lectures 
of  Linacfcr  and  Grocyn,  upon  the  Latin  and  Gre^k  tongues : 
arid  it  was  nor  long  before  he  gave  proof  of  having  attained 
a  good  style  In  both,'  by  "Epigrams  and  Translations,*' 
Which  are  jbri-nted  in  his  Works.  During  his  residence  here, 
his  father  is  said  to  have  allowed  him  a  very  scanty  main- 


360  MORE. 

tenance,  and  even  of  that,  exacted  a  most  particular  ac- 
count, with  a  vie*,  no  doubt,  to  prevent  his  falling  into 
idleness  and  idle  expences  ;  but  sir  Thomas,  when  of  riper 
years,  approved  the  plan,  and  owned  that  he  had  reaped 
great  benefit  from  it.  After  two  years  spent  at  Oxford, 
where  he  made  a  suitable  progress  in  rhetoric,  logic,  and 
philosophy,  he  was  removed  to. New-inn,  London,  in  order 
to  apply  to  the  law ;  and  soon  after  to  Lincoln's-inn,  where 
he  continued  his  studies  till  he  became  a  barrister.  When 
tie  was  about  twenty  years  of  age,  he  began  to  practise 
monkish  austerities,  wearing  a  sharp  shirt  of  hair  next  to 
his  skin,  which  he  never  after  left  entirely  off,  not  even 
when  he  was  lord  chancellor.  It  is  indeed  most  wonderful 
that  at  no  period  of  his  life,  did  a  ray  of  that  light  that  was 
now  breaking  upon  the  world,  penetrate  his  mind.  With 
talents,  learning,  and  wit,  far  beyond  his  contemporaries, 
he  was  also  far  beyond  them  in  religious  bigotry  and  super- 
stition. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  had  a  seat  in  parliament, 
and  shewed  great  independence  of  spirit,  in  1503,  by  op- 
posing a  subsidy  demanded  by  Henry  VII.  with  such 
strength  of  argument,  that  it  was  actually  refused  by  the 
parliament :  on  this  Mr.  Tyler,  one  of  the  king's  privy- 
council,  went  presently  from  the  house,  and  told  his  ma- 
jesty, that  a  beardless  boy  had  defeated  his  intention.  The 
king  resented  the  matter  so  highly,  that  he  would  not  be 
satisfied)  till  he  had  some  way  revenged  it :  but  as  the  son, 
'who  had  nothing,  could  lose  nothing,  be  devised  a  cause- 
less quarrel  against  the  father;  and,  sending  him  to  the 
Tower,  kept  him  there  till  he  had  forced  a  fine  of  100/. 
from  him,  for  his  pretended  offence.  It  happened  poon 
after,  that  More,  coming  on  a  suit  to  Fox,  bishop  of  Win* 
Chester,  one  of  the  king's  privy-council,  the  bishop  called 
him  aside,  and  with  much  .apparent  kindness,  promised, 
that  if  he  would  be  ruled  by  him,  he  would  not  fail  to  re- 
store him  to  the  king's  favour.  It  was  conjectured,  per- 
haps unjustly,  that  Fox's  object  was  to  draw  from  him  some 
confession  of  bis  offence,  so  that  the  king  might  have  an 
opportunity  of  gratifying  his  displeasure  against  him.  More, 
however,  if  this  really  was  the  case,  had  too  much  prudence 
to  be  entrapped,  and  desired  some  time  to  consider  the 
niatter.  This  being  granted,  he  obtained  a  conference 
with  Mr.  Whitford,  his  familiar  friend,  then  chaplain  to 
the  bishop,  and  afterwards  a  monk  of  Sion,  and  related 


MORE..  361 

what  the  bishop  proposed.  Whitford  dissuaded  him  from 
listening  to  the  bishop's  motion  :  "  for,"  says  he,  u  my 
lord  and  master,  to  serve  the  king's  turn,  will  not  stick  to, 
consent  to  the  depth  of  his  own  father."  After  receiving 
this  opinion,  which  Fox  does  not  seem  to  have  deserved. 
More  became  so  alarmed,  as  to  have  some  thoughts  of 
visiting  the  continent.  With  this  view  he  studied  the 
French  tongue,  and  cultivated  most  of  the  liberal  sciences, 
as  music,  arithmetic,  geometry,  -astrbnomy,  and  history ; 
but  the  death  of  Henry  VII.  rendered  the  precaution  un- 
necessary, and  he  again  resumed  his  profession. 

When  admitted  to  the  bar,  he  had  read  a  public  lecture, 
in  the  church  of  St.  Lawrence  Jewry,  upon  St;  Austin's 
treatise  "  De  civitate  Dei*,"  in  which,  without  attempting 
to  discuss  any  points  of  divinity,  he  explained  the  precepts 
of  moral  philosophy,  and  cleared  up  difficulties  in  history, 
and  that  with  such  skill,  eloquence,  and  ability,  as  to  at- 
tract a  large  number  of  hearers  among  persons  of  note 
and  learning;  and  Grocyn  himself,  who  had  been  his  mas- 
ter in  Greek,  also  became  one  of  his  auditors.    The  repu- 
tation of  this  lecture,  which  appears  to  have  been  gratui- 
tous, made  him  be  appointed  law-reader  at  Furnival's-inn, 
which  place  he  held  above  three  years.     Some  time  after, 
the  superstition  which  we  lament  in  this  illustrious  man's 
character,  led  him  to  take  lodgings  near  the  Charter-house, 
where  he  went  through  all  the  spiritual  exercises  of  that 
society.    He  disciplined  himself  every  Friday,  and  on  high 
fasting  days;  he  used  also  much  fasting  and  watching,  and 
often  lay  either  upon  the  bare  ground,  or  upon  some  bench, 
with  a  log  under  his  head,  and  allowed  himself  but  four  or 
five  hours'  sleep  in  the  night.     He  was  also  a  diligent  at- 
tendant on  the  public  preaching  of  dean  Colet,  whom  he 
chose  for  his  spiritual  father,  and  once  had  a  strong  in- 
clination to  enter  into  the  order  of  the  Franciscans,  as  well 
as  to  take  the  priesthood.     But  finding  that  all  his  austeri- 
ties were  of  little  avail  in  procuring  him  the  gift  of  conti- 
nence, he  took  Dr.  Colet's  advice,  and  resolved  to  marry. 
JSaving  some  acquaintance  with  John  Colt,  esq.  of  New- 
hall  in  Essex,  he  now  accepted  an  invitation  to  visit  him. 
Mr.  Colt  had  three  accomplished  and  agreeable  daughters, 
the  eldest  of  whom  Mr.  More  chose  for  a  wife,  although 

•  This  be  bad  done  before  at  Oxford.  Whether  he  repeated  the  lecture  here, 
ox  whether  the  passage  in  the  text  has  been  introduced  oat  of  its  place,  is  not 
Very  dear, 


M  MORE. 

bis  inclination  rather  led  him  to  the  second,  but  he  consi- 
dered it  "  would  be  a  grief  and  some  blemish  to  the  eldest/* 
should  he  act  otherwise.  Bringing  his  wife  to  town  he 
took  a  house  in  Bucklersbury,  and  attended  the  business  of 
his  profession  at  his  chambers  in  Lincoln's-inri,  where  he 
continued  till  he  was  called  to  the  bench,  and  had  read 
there  twice.  This  was  a  very  honourable  post  at  that  time : 
and  some  of  these  readings  are  quoted  by  lord  Coke  as  un- 
contested authorities  in  the  law.  In  the  mean  time  he  was 
appointed,  in  1508,  judge  of  the  sheriff's  court  in  the  city 
of  London ;  made  a  justice  of  the  peace  ;  and  became  so 
eminent  in  the  practice  of  the  law,  that  there  was  scarcely 
a  cau4e  of  importance  tried  at  the  bar  in  which  he  was  not 
concerned.  Sir  Thomas  told  his  son-in-law  Roper,  that 
he  earned  by  his  business  at  this  time,  with  a  good  con- 
science, above  400/.  a  year,  which  is  equal  to  six  timed 
that  sum  now.  He  was,  however,  uncommonly  scrupu- 
lous in  the  causes  he  undertook.  It  was  his  constant  me- 
thod, before  he  took  any  cause  in  hand,  to  investigate  the 
jdstice  and  equity  of  it ;  and  if  he  thought  it  unjust,  he  re- 
fused it,  at  the  same  time  endeavouring  to  reconcile  the 
parties,  and  persuading  them  not  to  litigate  the  matter  in 
dispute.  Where  not  successful  in  this  advice,  he  would 
direct  his  clients  h6w  to  proceed  in  the  least  expensive  and 
troublesome  course.  It  may,  indeed,  be  seen  in  bik 
u  Utopia,9'  that  he  satirizes  the  profession,  as  if  he  did  not 
belong  to  it. 

In  the  mean  time,  he  found  leisure  to  exercise  his  talents 
in  polite  literature ;  and,  in  the  height  of  this  hurry  of  bu- 
siness, wrote  his  "  Utopia."  He  finished  it  in  1516,  and 
£fter  two  editions  of  uncertain  date,  the  first  with  a  date 
was  published  at  Basil,  in  1 5 1 8.  In  this  short  but  extraor- 
dinary work,  he  gave  his  mind  full  scope,  and  considered 
mankind  and  religion  with  a  freedom  which  became  a  tru4 
philosopher.  It  is,  however,  impossible  to  reconcile  the 
liberality  of  his  religious  sentiments  in  this  work,  with  th&t 
superstition  and  intolerance  which  shaded  his  future  con- 
duct. In  this,  he  feigns  "  Utopia19  to  be  one  of  those 
countries  then  lately  discovered  in  America,  and  the  ac- 
count of  it  to  be  given  him  by  one  Hythlodseus,  a  Portu- 
guese, who  sailed  in  company  with  Americus  Vespuciusf, 
the  first  discoverer  of  that  part  of  the  world  :  under  which 
character  he  delivers  bis  own  opinions  and  sentiments.  It 
is  said  too,  that  about  the  same  time,  he.began  the  "  His- 


M  O  R  t.  36$ 

toiy  of  Richard  III."  which  is  inserted  in  Kennet's  tt  Com- 
plete History  of  England,"   and  in  the  continuation  of 
Harding's  Chronicle;  bat  th6  late  editor  of  that  Chronicle, ' 
Mr.  Ellis,  has  prored  that  this  was  not  written  by  More. 

More  cultivated  an  aequaintance  and  friendship  with  thfe 
most  learned  men  of  that  age,  and  particularly  with  Eras- 
mus, who,  of  all  the  foreigners,  deservedly  held  the  first 
place  in  his  affections.  After  they  had  long  carried  on  a 
correspondence  by  letters,  Erasmus  came  to  England,  on 
purpose  to  see  his  friend ;  on  which  occasion  it  was  con- 
trived, that  they  should  meet  at  the  lord  mayor's  table  in 
London,  before  they  were  introduced  to  each  other.  At 
dinner,  a  dispute  arose  between  them,  in  which  Erasmus, 
for  the  sake  of  argument,  took  the  wrong  side  of  the  ques- 
tion, but  so  sensibly  felt  the  peculiar  sharpness  of  bis  an- 
tagonist's wit,  that  he  could  not  help  exclaiming,  "  You 
are  either  M6re,  or  nobody ;"  to  which  More  readily  re- 
plied, "  You  are  either  Erasmus  or  the  devil  :*  which  last 
coarse  expression  he  is  said  to  have  used  because  Eras- 
mus's arguments  had  a  tincture  of  irreligion.  No  two  men, 
however,  could  be  more  attached  to  each  other's  company, 
find  after  Erasmus  returned  home,  a  long  correspondence 
took  place  between  them.  Both  were  wits,  but  Erasmus's 
freedom  from  bigotry,  gave  him  opportunities  of  displaying 
his  humour,  which  More  could  not  have  embraced.  We 
are  told  that  when  Erasmus  was  about  to  leave  England* 
More  lent  him  a  horse  to  carry  him  to  the  sea-side;  but, 
instead  of  returning  it,  be  took  it  to  Holland,  and  sent 
More  the  following  epigram,  alluding  to  some  conversa- 
tion they  had  bad  concerning  the  doctrine  of  the  real  pre- 
sence in  the  sacrament : 

"  jQuod  mihi  dixisti 
De  corpore  Christi 

Crede  quod  edas,  et  edis : 
Sic  tibi  rescribo 
De  tuo  palfrido, 
Crede  quod  habeas,  et  habes." 

Before  More  entered  into  the  service  of  Henry  VIII.  he 
had  been  twice  employed,  with  bis  majesty's  consent,  at 
the  suit  of  the  English  merchants,  as  their  agent  in  some 
considerable  disputes  between  them  and  the  merchants  of 
the  Steel-yard  ;  and,  about  1516,  be  went  to  Flanders  with 
Tonstal,  bishop  of  Durham,  and  Dr.  Knight,  commis- 
sioners for  renewing  the  treaty  of  alliance  between  Henry 


364 


MORE. 


VIII,  and  Charles  V.  then  only  archduke  of  Austria.  While 
at  Bruges,  a  conceited  scholar  issued  a  challenge,  that  he 
would  answer  any  question  which  could  be  proposed  to 
him  in  any  art  whatsoever :  upon  which  More  caused  this 
to  be  put  up,  "  An  averia  capta  in  withernamia  suit  irre- 
plegiabilia  ?"  adding,  that  there  was  one  of  the  English 
ambassador's  retinue,  who  was  ready  to  dispute  with  him 
upon  it.  But  the  challenger,  not  understanding  those 
terms  of  our  common  law.  knew  not  what  to  answer,  and 
so  was  made  a  laughing-stock  to  the  whole  city*. 

The  fame  of  More's  learning,  ability  in  the  law,  and 
dexterity  in  the  management  of  business,  having  reached 
the  ears  of  Henry  VIII.  be  ordered  cardinal  Wolsey  to 
engage  him  in  the  service  of  the  court.  With  this  view 
the  cardinal  offered  him  a  pension,  which  sir  Thomas  theu 
refused,  as  not  thinking  it  equivalent  to  his  present  advan- 
tages :  but  the  king  soon  after  insisted  upon  his  entering 
into  his  service,  and,  for  want  of  a  better  vacancy,  obliged 
him,  for  the  present,  to  accept  the  place  of  master  of  the 
requests.  Within  a  month  after,  he  was  knighted,  and 
appointed  one  of  the  privy  council.  In  1 520,  he  was  made 
treasurer  of  the  exchequer ;  and  soon  after  this  bought  a 
house  by  the  river-side  at  Chelsea f,  where  he  settled  with 
bis  family,   having  buried  his  first  wife,    and  married  a 


*  This  challenger,  however*  might 
be  a  very  general  disputant  and  a  good 
logician,  as  logic  was  then  understood, 
without  understanding  the  barbarous 
jargon  of  More's  question.  The  Eng- 
lish* or  at  least,  the  meaning  is,  Whe- 
ther cattle  taken  in  withernam  (a  writ 
to  make  reprisals  on  one  who  has 
wrongfully  distrained  another  man's 
cattle,  and  drove  them  out  of  the 
county)  be  irrepleviable } 

f  "  More,"  say«  Erasmus,  "  has 
built  near  London,  upon  the  Thames, 
such  a  commodious  house  as  is  neither 
mean,  nor  subject  to  envy,  yet  mag- 
nificent enough].  There-  he  converses 
affably  with  his  family,  his  wife,  bis 
son,  and  daughter-in-law,  his  three 
daughters,  and  their  husbands;  witb 
eleven  grand-children.  There  is  not 
any  man  living  so  affectionate  to  his 
children  as  he ;  and  he  loveth  his  old 
wife,  as  well  as  if  she  were  a  young 
maid.  And  such  is  the  excellence  of 
his  temper,  that  whatsoever  happeneth 
that  could  hot  be  helped,  he  is  as 
cheerful  and  as  well  satisfied  as  though 


nothing  coord  have  happened  more 
happily-  You  would  say  there  were 
in  that  house  Plato's  academy.  But  I 
do  the  house  iujury,  in  comparing  it 
to  Plato's  academy,  where  there  were 
only  disputations  of  numbers  and  geo- 
metrical figures,  and  sometimes  of 
moral  virtues.  I  should  rather  call  his 
house  a  school,  or  university,  of  Chris- 
tian religion.  ,  There  is  none  therein 
but  readeth,  or  studieth  the  liberal 
sciences  ;  but  their  special  care  is 
piety  and  virtue.  There  is  no  quar- 
relling nor  intemperate  words  beard, 
nor  any  seen  idle ;  and  that  worthy 
gentleman  does  not  govern  his  boose- 
ho'd,  nor  introduce  into  it  so  much  re- 
gularity and  order,  by  proud  and  lofty 
words,  but  witb  all  kind  and  courteous 
benevolence  $  every  body  performing 
bis  duty,  yet  is  there  always  alacrity, 
neither  is  sober  mirth  any  thing  want* 
ing."  An  account  of  sir  Thomas  More's 
house  at  Chelsea,  with  its  successive 
owners,  may  be  seen  in  Lysona's.  En- 
virons, vol.  II.  No  part  of  it  now  re- 
mains, 


MORE.  365 

second,  who  was  a  widow  and  somewhat  in  years.  With  all 
hW  excellent  endowments  for  public  business,  sir  Thomas 
had  far  less  relish  for  the  bustle  of  a  court,  than  for  the 
calmer  and  more  substantial  pleasures  of  the  domestic 
circle.  He  thought  it  therefore  rather  a' misfortune  that 
the  king  at  this  time  took  an  extraordinary  liking  to  his 
company,  and  began  to  engross  all  his  leisure  time.  The 
moment  he  bad  finished  his  devotions  on  holidays,  he  used 
to  send  for  sir  Thomas  into  his  cjoset,  and  there  coofer 
with  him,  sometimes  about  astronomy,  geometry,  divinity, 
and  other  parts  of  learning,  as  well  as  about  his  own  affairs. 
He  would  frequently  in  the  night  carry  bim  up  to  his  leads 
on  the  top  of  his  house,  and  discourse  with  him  about  the 
motions  of  the  planets ;  and,  because  sir  Thomas  was  of  a 
very  pleasant  disposition,  the  king  and  queen  used  to  send 
for  him  after  supper,  or  in  supper-time,  to  be  merry  with 
them.  Sir  Thomas  perceiving,  by  this  fondness,  that  he 
could  ndfc  once  a  month  get  leave  to  go  home  to  his  wife 
and  children,  or  be  absent  from  court  two  days  together, 
without  being  sent  for,  is  said  to  have  had  recourse  to  a 
singular  expedient,  suppressing  his  accustomed  facetious- 
ness,  and  assuming  a  dullness  and  gravity,  which  is  said  to 
have  put  an  end  to  his  invitations.  It  is,  however,  not  im- 
probable that  he  really  felt  the  uneasiness  which  he  dis- 
played. 

There  was  a  reason  of  more  importance  than  his  con  - 
▼ersation  talents,  for  Henry's  partiality.  About  this  time 
his  majesty  was  preparing  his  answer  to  Luther,  in  which 
sir  Thomas  assisted  his  majesty,  by  reducing  that  treatise 
into  a  proper  method.  It  was  published  in  1521,  under 
the  title  of  "  Assertio  septem  SaCramentorum  adversus  M. 
Lutherum,  &c. ;"  and,  in  1523,  sir  Thomas  published/  writ- 
ten by  himself,  "Responsio  ad  Convicia  M.  Lutheri  con- 
gesta  in  Hehricum  regem  Angliae."  Notwithstanding  the 
confidence  and  friendship  which  Henry  appeared  to  shew, ' 
sir  Thomas  understood  his  nature,  and  was  not  shy  in  giv- 
ing his  opinion  of  it.  On  one  occasion,  the  king  came 
unexpectedly  to  More's  house  at  Chelsea,  and  dined  with 
him ;  and  after  dinner  walked  with  him  in  his  garden,  for 
the  space  of  an  hour,  holding  his  arm  about  his  neck.  As 
soon  as  his  majesty  was  gone,  Mr.  Roper,  sir  Thomas's 
son-in-law,  observed  to  bim  how  happy  he  must  be  that 
the  king  had  treated  him  with  so  much  familiarity,  as'  he 
had  never  seen  used  to  aoy  person  before,  except  cardi<~ 


366  MORE; 

fial  Wolsey,  whom  h6  once  s*w  his  itoajetty  walk  wiiii  am* 
in  arm.  "  I  thank  our  lord,"*  answered  sir  Thomas,  u  I 
find  his  grace  my  very  good  lord  indeed,  and  I  belieye  he 
doth  as  singularly  favour  me  as  any  subject  within  this 
realm.  However,  son  Roper,  I  may  tell  thee,  I  hare  no 
cause  to  be  proud  thereof:  for,  if  my  bead  wo&ld  win  him 
a  ctfstle  in  France,  it  should  not  fail  to  go." 

In  1523,  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  House  of  Com* 
mous ;  and,-  soon  after,  shewed  great  intrepidity  in  frue-» 
trating  a  motion  for  an  oppressive  subsidy,  promoted  by  car* 
dinal  Wolsey,  who  came  to  the  house  thinking  that  his  pre-» 
sence  would  intimidate  the  members.  On  the  contrary,  the 
members  refused  to  speak  in  his  presence,  and  sir  Thomas 
as  speaker,  gave  him  such  an  evasive  answer  as  made  him 
leave  the  house  in  a  violent  passion.    This  behaviour,  the 
cardinal  afterwards,  in  the  gallery  at  Whitehall,  complained 
of  to  him,  and  said,  "Would  to  Qod  yon  had  been  at 
Rome,  Mr.  More,  when  I  made  you  speaker."    To  which 
sir  Thomas  answered,  "  Your  grace  not  offended,  so  would 
I  too."    There  was  at  this  time  no  great  cordiality  between 
Wolsey  and  More,  which  has  been  attributed  to  the  car- 
dinal's being  jealous  of  More's  favour  with  the  king.  More, 
however,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  afraid  of  him,  and 
made  him,  on  a  remarkable  occasion,  the  subject  of  one  of 
his  keenest  witticisms.     During  a  dispute  in  the  privy-* 
council,  Wolsey  so  far  forgot  himself  as  to  call  sir  Thomas 
a  fool;  to  which  he  immediately  answered,  "Thanks  be  to 
God,  that  the  king's  majesty  has  but  one  fool  in  his  right 
honourable  council."    At  length,  to  get  rid  of  this  rival,  in 
the  gentlest  way  he  conld,  and  even  under  the  mask  of 
honouring  his  political  talents,  the  cardinal  persuaded  the 
king  to  send  him  on  the  embassy  into  Spain  in  1526 :  but 
against  this  sir  Thomas  pleaded  the  unfavourable  climate 
of  Spain,  and  the  actual  state  of  bis  health,  which  his  ma* 
jesty  accepted  as  a  sufficient  plea,  saying,  "  It  is  not  oar 
meaning,  Mr.  More,  to  do  you  any  hurt,  but  to  do  you 
good ;  we  will  think  of  some  other,  and  employ  your  ser* 
vice  otherwise."     The  following  year  be  was  joined,  with 
several  other  officers  of  state,  to  cardinal  Wolsey,  in  a 
splendid  embassy  to  France.     After  his  return  he  was  apt 
pointed  chancellor  of  the  dutchy  of  Lancaster,  and  in  July 
1529,  he  and  his  friend  bishop  Tonstal  were  .appointed 
ambassadors,  to  negociate  a  peace  between  the  emperor* 
king  Henry,  and  the  king  of  Fcance,  which  was  accord* 


MOKE.  367 

ingly  concluded  at  Cambray.     Sir  Thomas  acquitted  him- 
self in  tbif  negociation,  in  a  manner  which,  procured  him 
the  approbation  of  the  king.     It  was  sir  Thomas's  custom, 
when  in  the  course  of  these  embassies:  he  came  to  any  fo- 
reign university,  to  desire  to  be  present  at  their  readings 
and  disputations ;  and  he  would  sometimes  dispute  among 
them  himself,  and  with  so  much  readiness  and  learning,  as 
to.  excite  the  admiration  of  the  auditors;  and  when  the 
king  visited  our  own  universities,  where  he  was  received 
with  learned  speeches,  sir  Thomas  More  was  always  ap*- 
pointed  to  make  an  extempore  answer  for  the  king,  as  the 
man  of  all  his  court  the  best  qualified  for  the  undertaking, 
.  JJefore  sir  Thomas  went  on  his  last  embassy,  the  king 
spunded  hina  upon  the  subject  of  his  divorce  from  Catha- 
rine of  Arragon,  as  he  did  again  after  his  return  ;  but  did* 
not  receive,  either  time,  an  answer  agreeable  to  his  incH* 
uatiQns.     Yet,  his  majesty's  fixed  resolution  in  that  point 
did  not  hinder  him,  upon  the  disgrace  of  cardinal  Woke}', 
from  \ntrusting  the  great  seal  with  sir  Thomas,  which  was 
4elivered  to  him  Oct.  25,  1530.     His  biographers  have 
said  that  this  favour  was  the  more  extraordinary,  as  he  was 
the  first  layman  who  enjoyed  it ;  but  this  is  a  mistake. 
There  are  at  least  four  instances  of  laymen  being  chancel* 
lor*  before,  his  time*     Some  have  thought  that  the  honour 
Was  conferred  with  a,  view  of  engaging  him  to  approve  the 
intended  divorce*    Accordingly,  be  entered  upon  It  with 
just  apprehensions,  of  the  danger  to  which  it  would  expose* 
him  on  that  account,  but. determined  to  execute  the  duties N 
qf  the  office  in  %  manner  that  might  give  dignity  to  it ; 
and  perhaps  no  chancellor  has  ever  displayed  more  upright* 
rjess  and  i&ttgftty.     His  predecessor  Wolsey  was  a  man  of 
Unquestionable  abilities,  and  incorrupt  in  his  decisions: 
but  he  is,  said  to  have  been  proud  and  repulsive  to  the 
poorer  suitors*     Sir  Thomas,  on  the.  contrary,  made  no 
distinctions;    was  nowise  dazzled  by  superior  rank  and 
station,  and  considered  the  poor  as  especially  entitled  to 
his  protection.   He  always  spoke  kindly  to  such,  and  heard 
them  patiently v     It  was  his  general  custom  to  sit  every 
afternoon  in  his  open  hall,  and  if  any  person  had  a  .suit  to 
prefer,  he  might  state  the  case  to  him,  without  the  aid  of 
billsy  solicitors,  or  petitions*      And  such  was  his  impar- 
tiality, that*  he  gave  a  decree,  against  one  of  his  sons-in- 
l&w,  Mr*  Heron,  whom  he  in  vain  urged  to  refer  the  mat- 
ter to  arbitration,  and  who  presumed  upon  his  relationship. 


36S 


MORE. 


So  indefatigable  was  be  also,  that  although  he  found  the 
office  filled  with  causes,  some  of  which  had  been  pending 
for  twenty  years,  he  dispatched  the  whole  within  two  years, 
and  calling  for  the  next,  was  told  that  there  was  not  one 
left,  which  circumstance  he  ordered  to  be  entered  on  re- 
cord.    , 

Amidst  so  much  that  is  honourable  to  himself,  honourable 
to  his  profession,  and  to  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  we  have 
yet  to  lament  that  the  force  of  popish  bigotry  induced  him 
to  become  a  persecutor  of  the  heretics,  as  they  were 
called.  One  Frith, had  written  against  the  corporeal  pre- 
sence :  and  on  his  not  retracting,  after  More  had  answered.2 
him,  be  caused  him  to  be  burned.  "  James  Bainton,"  says 
Burnet,  «  a  gentleman  of  the  Temple,  was  taken  to  the  lord* 
chancellor's  house,  where  much  pains  was  taken  to  persuade 
him  to  discover  those  who  favoured  the  newopinions.  But  fair 
means  not  prevailing,  More  bad  him  whipped  in  his  pre- 
sence, and  after  that  sent  to  the  Tower,  where  he  looked 
on,  and  saw  him  put  to  the  rack.  He  was  burned  in  Smith- 
field."  Luther  being  asked  whether  sir  Thomas  More  was 
executed  for  the  gospel's  sake  ?  answered,  "  By  no  means, 
for  he  was  a  very  notable  tyrant.  He  was  the  king's  chiefest 
counsellor,  a  very  learned  and  a  very  wise  man.  He  shed, 
the  blood  of  many  innocent  Christians  that  confessed  the 
gospel,  and  plagued  and  tormented  them  like  an  execu- 
tioner." Yet  how  discordant  does  More's  practice  seem  to 
be  to  his  opinions.  In  his  celebrated  "  Utopia"  he  lays  it 
down  as  a  maxim,  that  no  one  ought  to  be  punished  for 
his  religion,  and  that  every  persbn  might  be  of  what  religion 
be  pleased  *. 

Sir  Thomas's  zeal  for  the  Rot&ish  church  led  him,  as 
we  have  noticed,  to  write  some  treatises  in  defence  of  po- 
pery. He  was  thought  by  these  to  have  done  great  service 
to  the  church :  and' as  it  was  well  known  that  he  had  bad 


•  la  1536  bishop  Tonstal  and  sir 
Thomas  More  bought  up  the  whole  im- 
pression of  WicklifPs  translation  of  the 
New  Testament,  printed  m  that  year* 
and  burnt  them  at  Paul's  Cross.  Sir 
Thomas  was  alto  accessary  to  a  most 
severe  punishment  and  heavy  fine  in- 
flicted on  some  persons  who  had  im- 
ported Tindal's  New  Testament  in  1 530. 
Such,  however,  was  his  fondness  for 
wit,  that  a  repartee  would  sometimes 
get  the  better  of  his  persecuting  zeal. 


A  heretic,  named  Siher,  being  brought 
before  him,  he  said,  "  Silver,  yon  must 
be  tried  by  fire."  «« Yes,"  replied  the. 
prisoner,  "  but  you  know,  my  lord, 
that  quick-silver  cannot  abide  toe  fire.*9' 
More  was  so  pleased  with  this  repartee* 
which,  as  Dr.  Henry  observes,  showed 
great  presence]  of  mind*  that  he  set  the 
man  at  liberty.  Strype's  Cranmer,  p* 
81,  and  Memorials,  vol.  I.  p.  453  ^ 
Henry's  History,  voj.  It.  p.  875,  *v» 
edition. 


more.  36? 

few  opportunities  of  amassing  riches,  and  that  the  emolu- 
ments of  his  office  were  no  adequate  reward  for  his  merit, 
the-  clergy,  in  convocation,  voted  him  a  present  of  five 
thousand  pounds  ;  a  vast  sum  in  those  days,  which  was  li- 
berally contributed  by  the  whole  body  of  the  clergy,  supe- 
rior and  inferior.  When,  however,  his  friend  bishop  Ton- 
stal,  with  two  other  prelates,  waited  on  him  with  this 
present,  he  peremptorily  declined  accepting  it,  telling 
them,  that  "  as  it  was  no  small  comfort  to  him, .  that  such 
wise  and  learned  men  so  well  accepted  of  his  works,  for 
which  he  never  intended  to  receive  any  reward  but  at  the 
hand  of  God,  so  he  heartily  thanked  this  honourable  body 
for  their  bountiful  consideration."  The  prelates  then  re- 
quested, that  he  would  allow  them  to  present  the  money 
tojiis  family  ;  but  in  this  he  was  equally  resolute  —  "Not 
so,  indeed,  my  lords :  I  had  rather  see  it  all  cast  into  the 
Thames,  than  that  I  or  any  of  mine  should  have  a  penny 
of  it.  For  though  your  lordships'  offer  is  very  friendly  and  , 
honourable  to  me,  yet  I  set  so  much  by  my  pleasure,  and 
so  little  by  my  profit,  that  iri  good  faith  I  would  not  for  a 
much  larger  sum  have  lost  the  rest  of  so  many  nights'  sleep 
as  was  spent  upon  these  writings.  And  yet,  notwithstand- 
ing that,  upon  condition  that  all  heresies  were  suppressed, 
I  wish '  that  all  my  books  were  burnt,  and  my  labour  en- 
tirely lost."  There  was  something  new  and  peculiar  in 
every  expression  of  sir  Thomas's  thoughts ;  and  on  one  oc- 
casion, while  conversing  on  public  affairs,  at  Chelsea,  he 
told  his  son-in-law  Roper,  that  he  would  be  content  to  be 
thrown  into  the  river,  provided  three  things  were  estab- 
lished in  Christendom:  "  universal  peace —  uniformity  of 
religion  — and  a  safe  conclusion  of  the  king's  marriage/'  at 
that  time  in  agitation., 

During  his  chancellorship,  the  king  often  importuned 
bim  to  re-consider  the  subject  of  the  divorce ;  and  when  he 
found  him  persisting  in  his  unfavourable  opinibndf  that 
measure,  affected  to  be  satisfied  with  his  answers,  and  pro- 
mised to  molest  his  conscience  no  more  on  the  subject.  Sir 
Thomas,  however,  was  not  a  man  to  be  deceived  in  a  point 
on  which  he  knew  Henry  would  not  long  bear  any  oppo- 
sition, and  determined  to  avoid  having  an  official  con- 
cern  in  the  divorce,  by  resigning  his  place,  which  he  had 
held  about  three  years.  Henry  professed  to  accept  hfe 
resignation  with  great  reluctance*  bestowed  many  thanks 
and  much  praise  on  him  for  his  faithful  discharge  of  the 

Vol.  XXII.  B  B 


370 


MORE. 


duties  of  that  important  trust,  and  made  him  the  most  li- 
beral promises.  But  sir  Thomas  was  too  disinterested  to 
claim  these,  and  never  asked  a  penny  for  himself  of  any 
of  his  family,  in  any  part  of  his  life.  That  he  was  perfectly 
satisfied  in  his  own  mind  with  the  sacrifice  he  had  made, 
appears  from  the  jocular  manner  in  which  he  announced 
his  resignation  to  his  lady.  The  morning  after  he  returned 
the  great  seal,  he  went  to  Chelsea-church  with  his  lady 
and  family,  where,  during  divine  service,  he  sat,  as. was 
usual  with  him,  in  the  quire,  wearing  a  surplice*,  and 
because  it  had  been  a  custom,  after  mass  was  done,  for  one 
of  bis  gentlemen  to  go  to  his  lady's  pew  and  say,  "  My 
lord  is  gone  before;'9  he  came  now  himself,  and  making  a 
long  bow,  said,  "  Madam,  my  lord  is  gone."  She,  think- 
ing jt  to  be  no  more  than  his  usual  humour,  took  no  no- 
tice of  it;  but,  in  the  Way  home,  be  unriddled  the  jest,  by 
acquainting  ber  with  what  be  had  done  the  preceding  day. 
This,  however,  was  no  jest  to  lady  More,  who  .was  of  a 
worldly  avaricious  spirit,  and  by  no  means  remarkable  for 
pliability  of  temper,  or  submission  to  his  will.,  She  there- 
fore discharged  some  of  her  vulgar  eloquence  on  him :  — 
"  Tilly  Vally,  what  will  you  do,  "Mr.  More  ?  will  you  ait 
and  make  goslings  in  the  ashes  ?  Would  to  God,  I  were 
a  man,  and  you  should  quickly  see  what  I  would  do.  What! 
why,  go  forward  with  the  best;  for,  as  my. mother  was 
wont,  to  say,  It  is  ever  better  to  rule,  than  to  be  ruled ; 
and,  therefore,  I  would  not  be  so  foolish  as  to  be  ruled, 
where  I  might  rule.'9  Sir  Thomas  contented  himself  with 
replying :  "  By  my  faith,  wife,  I  dare  say  you  speak  truth ; 
for  I  never  found  you  willing  to  be  ruled  yet.'9 

§ir  Thomas  certainly  had  none  of  his  lady's  worldly 
prudence.  During  .his  holding  the  chancellorship,  his  inte- 
-grity  prevented  any  accession  of  wealth,  and  his  generous 
spirit  inclined  him  to  live  in  a  manner  suitable  to  his  sta- 
tion* What  added  to  his  expences  was,  that  all  his  chil- 
dren, single  and  married,  with  their  respective  families, 
Rved  in  bis  house*    He  found  bis  finances,  therefore,  at  * 


•  *  Sir  Thomas  frequently  assisted  in 
t bis  way  at  t|M  celebration  of  divine 
service  ra  the  .ohorcb  at  Chelsea.  The 
duke  of  Norfolk  coming  one  day  to  dine 
frith  aim  whilst  he  «as  chancellor, 
found  him  at  church,  wearing  a  sur- 
plice, and  singing  with  the  quire: 
**jQ~*&'4  body,  nay  lord  cbasjceUor," 


said  the  duke  as  they  returned  to  bis 
boose,  "  what  a  parish  clerk  !  a  parish1 
clerk  !  you  dishonour  the  king  and  hit 
office."  *<  Nay,"  said  sir  Thomas,* 
"  yon.  may  not  think  your  master  and' 
mine  will  be  offended  with  me  for  serv- 
ing God,  his  master,  or  thereby  count 
bis  office  dishonoured." 


M  O  R  E.  $71 

very  low  ebb;  the  whole  of  his  yearly  income,  after  re- 
signing tbe  chancellorship,  not  exceeding  one  hundred 
•pounds.  Aqd  being  no  longer  able  to  maintain  his  married 
children,  he  sent  them  to  their  respective  homes,  discharged 
all  his  state  servants,  and  dipposed  of  his  equipages.  About* 
thjs  time,  his  father  sir  John  More  died,  to  whom  he  had 
always  behaved  with.  the.  highest  degree  of  filial  piety. 
When  chancellor,  he  never  passed  through  Westminster* 
Mali,  in  his  way  to  tbe  court  of  chancery,  without  going, 
into  that  of  the  King's- be  neb,  when  his  father  was  sitting 
there,  and  asking  his  blessing  upon  his  knees ;  and  when 
they  happened  to  meet  at  the  readings  at  Lincoln's- Inn, 
be  always  offered,  the  precedence  to  his  father:  which,  on 
account  of  his  son's  post  as  chancellor,  sir  John  properly 
declined.  Filial  piety,  indeed,  and  all  the  relative  duties, 
form  one  of  the  brightest  features  in  the  character  of  sir 
TbocQas  More;  and  some  of  the,  proof  she  gave  of  this,  -oft* 
which  we  are  now  perhaps  inclined,  to  bestow  a  smile,  were 
then  objects  of  reverence.  < 

He  now  resigned  himself  to  that  plan  of  retirement,  study,' 
and  devotion,  which  had  always  been  most  agreeable  to  him ; 
but  he  could  no  longer  expect  to  enjoy  this  without  inter- 
ruption. .   He  knew  the  capricious  and  arbitrary  temper  of 
his  royal  iftaster,  who  had  already  divorced  queen  Catbe* 
tine,  married  A  pne  Boleyn,  and  expected  that  what  he 
bad  done  should  be  approved  with  more  than  silent;  acqui- 
escence.    The  coronation  of  the  new  queen  being  fixed 
for  May  31,  1533,  sir.  Thomas  received  an  invitation  to 
Attend  the  cerecnony  ;  but  this  he  declined,  as  he  still  re- 
tained his  former  opinions  on  the  unlawfulness  of  the  di- 
vorce.    This,  which  Henry  would  naturally  construe  into 
an  insult,  provoked  him  extremely,  conscious  as  be  was 
that  the. opinions  of  sir  Thomas  would  have  great  weight 
with  the  people..    Various  means  were  therefore  tried  to 
gain  him  over,  and  when  these  proved  ineffectual,  a  more 
harsh,  but  in  those  days,  not  a  very  extraordinary  prd-; 
needing  took  place.    In  the  ensuing  parliament  a  bill  was* 
brought  into  the  House  of  Lords,  attainting  sir  Thomas,. 
bishop  Fisher,  and  some  others,  of  misprision  of  treason, 
for  countenancing  and  encouraging  Elizabeth  Barton,  the 
maid  qf  Kent  (See  Eliz.  Barton,  vol.  IV.)  in  her  trea- 
sonably practices.    When  this  bill  came  to  be  read  a  third 
time,  the  House  of  Lords  addressed  the  king  to  know  bis 
pl*asufe,  whether  sir  Thomas  might  not  be  suffered  to 

BB2 


372  MORE, 

speak  in  his  own  defence ;  but  Henry  would  Hot  consent  to 
this,  nor  when  he  desired  to  he  admitted  into'  the  House 
of  Commons,  to  defend  himself  there,  would  the  king  . 
permit  him  :  but  he  assigned  a  committee  of  the  privy** 
council  to  bear  his. justification.  The  affair  of  Barton, 
however,  was  a  mere  pretence,  the  object  of  this  com~ 
mittee  being  to  draw  from  him,  either  by  fair  words  or 
threatenings,  an  assent  to  the  divorce  and  the  second  mar- 
riage. When  the  commissioners,  who  were  Cranmer,  now 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  lord  chancellor  Audley, 
the  duke  of  Norfolk,  and  secretary  Cromwell*  found  that 
their  persuasions  were  of  no  avail,  they  told  him,  that 
their  instructions  were  to  dharge  him  with  ingratitude, 
and  "  to  inform  him,  that  his  majesty  thought  there  aever 
was  a  servant  so  villainous,  or  a  subject  so  traitorous  to- 
his  prince,  as  he  was ;"  and,  "  in  support  of  this  heavy* 
charge  against  him,  they  were  to  allege  his  subtle  and  si- 
nister devices,  in  procuring  his  majesty  to*  set  forth  a  book 
to  his  great  dishonour  throughout  all  Christendom:  by 
which  he  had  put  a  sword  into  the  pope's  hand  to  fight  against 
himself." 

The  book  here  alluded  to  was  king  Henry's  "  Assertto 
septem  Sacramentorum,"  &c.  already  mentioned,  in  which! 
sir  Thomas  had  assisted  his  majesty.  8ii  Thodias  was  a* 
good  deal  astonished  at  the  turn  now  given  to  that  assist- 
ance; but*  assuming  his  usual  courage,  told  the  commis- 
sioners that  these  terrors  were  arguments  for  children,  and- 
not  for  him :  but  as  for  the  book  which  they  bad  men- 
tioned, he  could  not  bring  himself  to  believe  that  the  kiag1 
would  ever  lay  it  to  his  charge,  as  his  majesty  was  himself 
better  acquainted  with  that  affair,  and  with  bis  innocence 
in  it,  than  any  other  person  could  be.  The  king,  he  said, 
well  knew  that  be  had  not  procured,  nor  counselled;  the 
writing  of  that  book  :  and  when  he  revised  it  by  the  king's 
command,  and  found  the  pope's  authority  defended  and. 
advanced  very  highly,  he  remonstrated  against  it  to  hi* 
majesty,  and  told  bun,  that,  as  he  might  not  always  be-in 
amity  with  the,  pepe^  he  thought  it  best  that  it  should  be 
amended  hi  thai  point,  and  the  pope's  authority  be  move 
slenderly  touched;  Nay,  said  the  king,  that  shall  it  not:' 
we  are  «o  much  indebted  to  the  see  of  Rome,  that  we  can* 
not  do  too  much  honour  unto  it.  Upon  this  heiput  his* 
majesty  further  in  mind  of  the  statute  of  Premunite,  which! 
had  pared  away  a  good  part  of  the  pope's  authority  and. 


MORE.  373 

pastoral  care.  To  which  the  king  replied,  "  Whatsoever 
impediment  there  may  be  to  the  contrary,  we  will  set  forth 
that  authority  to  the  uttermost ;  for  we  received  from  the 
Roman  see  our  crown  imperial/',  which,  till  it  was  told 
him  from  his  majesty's  own  mouth,  he  never  heard  of 
before.1  He  trusted,  therefore,  that  when  his  majesty  should 
be  informed  of  this,  aud  should  recollect  the  subject  of  their 
•conversation  upon  this  head,  he  would  of  himself  entirely 
clear  him  of  the  charge. 

The  com iriissfi oners  were  probably  conscious  that  these 
assertions  were  true ;  at  least  they  could  make  no  reply, 
end  therefore  dismissed  sir  Thomas,  who  feeling  a  consi- 
derable elation  of  mind  on  his  return  home,  his  son-in-law 
Roper  asked  him  if  his  high  spirits  were  owing  to  his  bay- 
ing succeeded  in  procuring  his  name  to  be  struck  out  of 
the  bill  of  attainder  ?  Sir  Thomas's  answer  showed  that  he 
bad  been  more  tenacious  of  his  consistency  than  of  his  life: 
"  In  troth,  son,  I  had  forgotten  that ;  but  if  thou  wouictet 
•know  wby  I  am  so  joyful,  in  good  faith  it  is  this :  I  rejoice 
that  I  have  given  the  devil  so  foul  a  fall ;  for  I  have  gone  so 
far  with  these  lords,  that  without  great  shame  I  can  never 
go  back.9'  He  had  indeed  gone  so  far  as  to  exasperate 
the  king  beyond  all  hopes  of  forgiveness ;  and  that  nionarcb, 
iwbo  could  forget  friendship  and  attachment  as  hastily  as 
be  conferred  them,-  irritated  at  having  bis  foriner  sentiments 
respecting  the  pope  so  unseasonably  recalled,  declared  that 
the  bill  of  attainder  should  proceed  against  him.  And 
when  the  duke  of  Norfolk  and  secretary  Cromwell  hinted 
that  the  upper  house  would  not  pass  the  bill  without  hear- 
ing sir  Thomas  in  his  own  defence,  the  king  dedared  that 
lie  should  be  present  himself,  and  he  presufrted  that  the 
bowse  would  not  in  that  case  dare  to  reject  it.  He  was  at 
length,  however,  diverted  from  this  purpose  on  its  being 
wggested  that  some  better  opportunity  might  be  found  to 
fyroceed  against  sir  Thomas,  and  on  being  persuaded  by 
hi*  counsellors  that,  as  to  the  present  accusations,  the 
public  would  think  him  more  worthy  of  praise  than  blame. 
Sir  Thomas's  name  was  accordingly  struck  out  of  the  bill ; 
and  although,  taking  advantage  of  the  king's  displeasure, 
bis  enemies  endeavoured  to  bring  against  him  accusations 
of  imprbper  conduct  in  his  office  of  judge,  these  served 
only  Co  demonstrate  the  strict  integrity  which  guided  all 
bis  decisions,  and  that  when  gifts  were  sometimes  tendered 
to  him  by  the  clients  of  the  court,  be  always  refused*  or 


314  MORE. 

returned  thttn,'  and  often  with  his  characteristic  humour. 
;One  lady,  in  whose  favour  he  had  given  a  decree,  pre- 
-  sen  ted  him,  as  a  new  year's  gift,  with  a  pair  of  gloves,  arid 
•in  them  forty  pounds.  He  immediately  returned  the 
money,  saying,  "  Since  it  would  be  contrary  to  good  man- 
ners to  refuse  a  new  year's  gift  from  a  lady,  I  am  content 
to  take  your  gloves ;  hut  as  for  the  lining,  I  utterly  re- 
fuse it"        r 

The  king,  however,  had  soon  an  opportunity  of  gratify- 
ing his  resentment  in  its  full  extent.  In  1534  an  act  was 
.passed  declaring,  the  king's  marriage  with  Catherine  of  Ar- 
ragon  to  be  void,  and  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  and  con- 
firming his  marriage  with  Anne  Boleyn,  and  entailing  the 
crown  upon  the  issue  of  the  latter.  The  act  also  obliged 
persons  of  all  ranks  to  take  an  oath,  the  form  of  which  #as 
prescribed  to  them,  and  by  which  they  swore  to  maintain  the 
.  contents1  of  this  act  of  succession ;  and  whosoever  refused 
.to  take  the  oath,  was  to  be  adjudged  guilty  of  misprison  of 
treason,  and  punished  accordingly.  Soon  after,  a  com- 
mittee of  the.  council  met  at  Lambeth,  where  sir  Thomas 
More,  the  only  layman,  and  several  ecclesiastics,  were 
cited  to  take  the  .oath.  Sir  Thomas,  after  perusing  the 
act,  said  "he  would  blame  neither  those  who  made  the 
act,  nor  those  who  had  taken  the  oath ;  but,  for  bis  own 
part,  though  he  was  willing  to  swear  to  the  succession  in  a 
form  of  his  own  drawing  up,  yet  the  oath  which  was  offered 
to  him  was  so  worded,  that  his  conscience  revolted  against 
it,  and  he  could. not  take  it  with  safety  to  bis  soul." 

Conscience  was  not  a  light  word  in  the  mouth  of  sir 
Thomas  More.  However  we  may  lament  its  misdirection 
in  matters  of  religion,  it  appears  to  have  been  the  guide  of 
Jail  his  actions.  After  he  had  been  dismissed  on  the  former 
accusations  by  the  privy  council,  when  (he  duke  of  Nor- 
folk advised  .him  to  incline  a  little  more  to  the  king's  plea- 
sure, and  repeated  the  saying  that  the  u  wrath  of  a  prince 
is  death,"  he  replied,  "  Is  that  all  ?  my  lord,  in  good  faith 
then  there  is  no  more  difference  between  your  grace  and 
me,  but  that  I  shall  die  to-day,  and  you  to-morrow.  It  is 
surely  better  to  offend,  an  earthly  king  than  the  king  of 
heaven ;  and  temporal  death  ought  to  be  less  the  object  of 
our  dread,  than  the  indignation  of  the  Almighty." 

Every  persuasion  to  make  him  take  the  oath  of  succes- 
sion being  ineffectual,  he* was  committed  to  the  custody 
ef  the  abbot  of  Westminster  for  four  days,  in  which  time 


^^ 


MORE.  975 

it  was  debated  by  the  king  and  council  whit  course  it- was 
best  to  take  with  hhri*  Archbishop  Crankier,-  who  highly 
esteemed  his  virtues  and  integrity/-  and  did  much  to  pre- 
serve him,  urged  that  sir  Thomas's  propdsal  of  swearing  to 
the  succession,  without  confining  bim  to  the  terms  of  the 
prescribed  oath,  might  be  accepted ;  but  to  this  the  king 
would  not  agree,  and  sir  Thomas  again  refusing,  was  com* 
mitted  to  the  Tower.  Here  his  characteristic  humour  did 
not  forsake  him,  for  when  the  lieutenant,  whof  had  been 
under  some  obligations  to  him,  apologized  for  not  being 
able  to  entertain  him  as  he  could  wish,  without  incurring 
the  king's  displeasure,  he  said,'  "  Master  lieutenant,  when- 
ever I  find  fault  with  the  entertainment  which  you  provide 
for  me,  do  you  turn  me  out  of  doors.'9  During  the  fifcst 
month  of  his  confinement  he  had  to  resist  the  importunities 
of  his  wife,  who  urged  his  submission  to  the  king  upbir 
worldly  considerations,  and  told  her  he  would  riot  risk  the 
loss  of  eternity  for  the  enjoyment  of  a  life  that  migb£tiot 
last  a  year,  and  would  not  be  an  equivalent,  if  it  wer&to 
last  a  thousand. 

The  same  motives  prevailed  with  him  when  the  act  of 
supremacy,  now  passed,  was  tendered  to  him,  by  a  com* 
mittee  of  the  privy  council  sent  on  purpose.     His  answer 
was,  that  "  the  statute  was  like  a  two-edged  sword ;  if  he 
spoke  against  it,  he  should  procure  the  death  of  his  body  ; 
and  if  he  consented  to  it,  he  should  purchase  the  death  of 
his  soul.1'     Such  were  the  mistaken  views  entertained  by 
this  illustrious  character,  of  an  act  which  gfcvfe  the  first 
effectual  blow  to  papal  tyranny  in  these  kingdoms.     His 
unalterable  attachment  to  the  interests  of  popery  appeared 
just  after,  when  Rich,   the  solicitor-general,    and  some 
others,  were  sent  to  take  away  his  books,  papers,  and 
writing-implements.     Rich  endeavoured  to  argue  with  him 
in  this  manner,  "  Suffer  me,  sir,  to  put  this  case  to  you : 
If  there  were  an  act  of  parliament  to  be  made,  that  all  the 
realm  should  take  me  for  king,  would  not  you,  Mr.  More, 
take  me  to  be  so?"  "Yes,"  said  sir  Thomas,  "  that  I 
would."     Rich  then  put  the  case  that  an  act  of  parliament 
should  make  him  pope,  to  which  sir  Thomas  answered,  "that 
the .  parliament  might    intermeddle   without  impropriety 
in  the  state  of  temporal  princes ;  but  as  to  his  second  sup- 
position, he  would  put  a  case  himself,  whether  if  an  act  of 
parliament  should  ordain  that  God  should  not  be  God,  Mr. 
*  Rich  would  own  that  he  should  not  ?"    The  conversation 


376  MORE. 

fcere  ended,  but  Rich  took  occasion  from  it  to  swear  on  sir 
Thomas's  trial,  that  he  bad  said  that  the  parliament  cpuld 
not  make  the  king  supreme  head  of  the  church.  Tbis  sir 
Thomas  denied,  and  it  was  not  clearly  proved)  but  bis 
sentiments  might  surely,  without  much  straining,  admit  of 
the  inferepce. 

After  a  year's  imprisonment,  he  was  by  tbe  king's  com- 
mand brought  to  his  trial  at  the  king's  bench  in  Westmin- 
ster! upon  an  indictment  for  high  treason,  in  denying  the 
king's  supremacy.'  His  long  confinement  had  much  im? 
paired  his  health,  yet  he  defended  himself  with  great  elo- 
quence, and  with  the  utmost  cheerfulness  and  presence  of 
mind.  The  jury,  however,  found  him  guilty,  *nd  here-* 
ceived  sentence  as  a  traitor.  He  then  addressed  the  court, 
concluding  with  these  words  :  "  I  have  nothing  further  to 
say,  my  lords,  but  that  a*  the  blessed  apostle  St.  Paul  was 
present  and  consented  to  the  death  of  Stephen,  and  kept 
their  clothes  who  stoned  him  to  death,  and  yet  they  are 
now  both  holy  saints  in  heaven,  and  shall  there  continue 
friends  for  ever ;  so  I  verily  trust,  and  shall  therefore  right 
heartily  pray,  that,  though  your  lordships  have  now  been 
judges  on  earth  to  my  condemnation,  we  may  yet  here* 
after  all  meet  together  in  heaven  to  our  everlasting  salva- 
tion; and  so  I  pray  God  preserve  you  all,  and  especially 
my  sovereign  lord  tbe  king,  and  send  him  faithful  coun- 
sellors." 

As  they  were  conducting  him  from  Westminster-hall  to 
the  Tower,  with  the  axe  carried  before  him,  according  to 
thjfe  usual  manner,  a  very  affecting  scene  took  place  between 
sir  Thomas  and  his  favourite  daughter,  Margaret,  wife  of 
Mr.  Roper,  who  eagerly  pressed  through  the  guards  to  see 
him.  She  could,  however,  only  articulate  "  My  father ! 
Oh  !  my  father !"  when  sir  Thomas,  more  affected  by  this 
than  by  all  that  had  happened,  recommended  her  to  submit 
to  the,  will  of  God.  She  was  then  reluctantly  separated  from 
hw,  but  thinking  this  might  be  the  last  time,  she  again 
broke  through  the  crowd,  and  embraced  him  in  speechless 
agony.  The  numerous  spectators,  and  even  the  guards, 
sympathized  in  the  sufferings  of  these  illustrious  persons ; 
and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  they  were  parted,  never  to 
meet  again* 

His  behavibur  in  prison  during  the  short  remainder  of 
his  life  corresponded  with  the  firmness  and  placid  temper 
he  had  hitherto  displayed.    Among  the  last  visitors  whom 


M  O  RE.  3T7 

he  received  was  sir  Thomas  Pope,  the  celebrated  founder 
•of  Trinity  college,  Oxford,  whom  the  king  selected  to 
inform  him  of  the  time  of  his  execution.  The  intimation 
was  sudden.  It  was  on  July  6,  1535,  that  sir  Thomas  Pope 
told  bins  he  was  to  he  beheaded  that  same  day  at  nine 
o'clock,  and  that  therefore  he  must  immediately  prepare 
himself.  Mbre  received  the  news  with  bis  usual  cheerful- 
ness, and  as  the  king  had  further  intimated  his  pleasure  that 
he  should  not  use  many  words  at  his  execution,  be  promised 
obedience*  and  only  requested  that  his  daughter  Margaret 
might  be  at  his  burial.  Sir  Thomas  Pope,  in  answer  to 
this,  informed  him  that  the  king  had  already  consented 
that  his  wife  and  children,  and  any  of  his  friends,  might 
be  present ;  at  which  he  expressed  his  satisfaction. 

At  this  trying  moment,  he  not  only  retained  his  forti- 
tude and  cheerfulness,  but  to  the  last  gave  proofs  of  that 
facetious  turn,  which  it  would  appear  he  could  not  suppress 
under  any  circumstances.  When  Pope  appeared  to  be 
very  melancholy  at  the  consideration  of  his  friend's  ap- 
proaching death,  sir  Thomas  More,  inspecting  his  own 
water  in  the  urinal,  put  on  the  grave  airs  of  a  quack,  and 
said  archly,  "  I  see  no  danger  but  that  this  man  might  live 
longer,  if  it  had  pleased  the  king."  Their  parting  at  last 
was  more,  serious,  sir  Thomas  endeavouring  to  comfort  his 
friend  with  the  prospect  of  eternal  felicity,  in  which,  he 
hoped,  they  should  have  a  happy  meeting.  As  soon  as 
Pope  was  «gone  he  dressed  himself  in  the  best  cloaths  he 
bad,  and  when  the  lieutenant  suggested  that  these  were 
too  good  for  the  executioner's  perquisite,  "  If  they  were 
cloth  of  gold,"  said  sir  Thomas,  "  I  should  think  them 
well  bestowed  on  him  who  was  to  do  me  so  singular  a  be- 
nefit." lie  was  prevailed  on,  however,  to  exchange  them 
for  »gown  of  frieze;  and  out  of  the  little  money  which  he 
had  left,  be  sent  an  angel  of  gold  to  the  executioner. 

About  nine  o'clock  he  was  led  to  the  place  of  execution^ 
on  Tower-hill,  where  observing  that  the  scaffold  was  ap- 
parently a  weak  structure,  be  said  to  the  lieutenant,  "  I 
pray  you,  Mr.  Lieutenant,  see  me  safe  up  ;  and  as  for  my 
coming  down,  you  may  let  me  shift  for  myself."  He  then 
knelt  down,  and  after  a  short  time  spent  in  his  devotions, 
he  got  up  again,  and  said  to  the  executioner,  "  Pluck  up 
thy  spirits,  man,  and  be  not  afraid  to  do  thine  office.  My 
peck  is  very  short ;  take  heed,  therefore,  that  thou  strike 
not  awry,  for  thy  credit's  sake."     In  the  same  humour,  he 


378  MORI!, 

• 
bid  the  executioner  stay  till  he  had  removed  his  beard, 
;"  for  that,"  he  said,  "  had  committed  no  treason*?'     These 
were  his  last  words,  after  which  his  head  was  instantly  se- 
vered from  his  body. 

*  Thus  died  sir  Thomas  More,  who,  for  learning,  inte- 
grity, find  magnanimity,  was  one  of  the  most  illustrious 
-men  of  the  age,  and  who  would  have  exceeded  all  his  con- 
temporaries, had  his  mind  been  accessible  to  the  light  that 
.was  then  breaking  in  upon  the  darkness  of  superstition. 
.He  was  of  a  middle  stature,  and  well-proportioned ;  his 
complexion  fair,  with  a  slight  tincture  of  red  ;  his  hair  of  a 
dark  chesmit  colour ;  his  beard  thin  ;  his  eyes  grey ;  his 
countenance  cheerful  and  pleasant,  and  expressive  of  the 
temper  of  his  mind  ;  his  voice  neither  strong  nor  shrill,  but 
dear  and  distinct.  In  walking,  his  right  shoulder  appeared 
higher  than  the  other ;  but  this  was  the  effect  of  habit,  and 
not  any  defect  in  his  form.  He  was-  generally  negligent  in 
his  dress,  unless  where  his  place  required  more  splendour. 
His  diet  was  simple  and  abstemious;  and  he  seldom  tasted 
wine  but  when  he  pledged  those  who  drank  to  him. 

Piety,  as  then  understood  to  consist  in  a  variety  of  pe- 
riodical observances,  was  a  constant  feature  in  his  cha- 
racter. It  was  his  custom,  besides  his  private  prayers,  to 
read  the  Psalms  and  Litany  with  his  wife  and  children 
in  the  -morning  ;  and  every  night  to  go  with  his  whole  fa- 
mily into  the  chapel,  and  there  devoutly  read  the  Psalms 
and  Collects  with  them.  We  have  already  noticed  his 
attendance  at  Chelsea  church ;  but  he  had  also  a  private 
chapel  attached  to  his  house,  where  he  performed  many  of 
bis  devotions,  particularly  ou  Fridays,  when  he  remained 
the  whole  day  so  employed.  In  his  hours  of  relaxation,  he 
had  recourse  to  music  ;  and  bad  always  a  person  to  read 
whilst  he  was  at  table,  in  order  to  prevent  all  improper 
conversation  before  his  children  and  servants';  and  at  the 
end  of  the  reading,  it  was  his  custom  to  ask  those  who 
were  at  dinner,  whether  they  understood  what  had  been 
read.  He  also  made  remarks  himself  on  any  striking  pas- 
sage, which,  it  may  easily  be  conceived,  were  entertain- 
ing and  edifying. 

He  lived  in  habits  of  intimacy  and  friendship  with  the 
most  learned  men  of  his  time,  particularly,  as  already 
mentioned,  with  Erasmus,  and  also  with  Colet,  Grocyn, 
Linacre,  William  Latimer,   Lily>'  Tonstal,  Pole,   Fisher* 


\J 


MORE.  379 

&c.  Nor  was  he  lets  respected  and  admired  abroad  *« 
1Wben  the  emperor  Charles  V.  heard  of  his  death,  he  said 
to  sir  Thomas  Elliot,  the  ambassador  from  England  at  his 
court,  "  My  lord  ambassador,  we  understand  that  the  king 
your  master  has  put  to  death  his  faithful  servant,  and  grave 
and  wise  counsellor,  sir  Thomas  More.''  The  ambassador 
answered  that  he  had  beard-  nothing  of  it.  "Well,"  re- 
sumed the  emperor,  "  it  is  too  true;  and  this  we  will  say, 
that  if  we  had  been  master  of  such  a  servant,  of  whose 
abilities  ourself  have  had  these  many  years  no  small  ex- 
perience, we  would  rather  have  lost  the  best  city  in  our 
dominions,  than  so  worthy  a  counsellor."  We  are  even 
told  that  Henry  himself  felt  some  compunction  at  sir 
Thomas  More's  death,  and  that  when  the  news  of  it  was 
brought  to  him,  he  said  to  queen  Anne  Boleyn,  "  Thou 
art  the  cause  of  this  man's  death/9  and  rising  hastily,  shut 
Jiimself  up  in  an  adjoining  chamber,  in  great  perturbation 
of  mind.  The  queen,  it  has  been  thought  by  some,  was 
not  entirely  innocent  of  this  charge  f,  but  the  accusation 
from  the  king  was  rather  a  pretence  on  his  part.  %  In  pur* 
suing  sir  Thomas  to  the  scaffold,  we  have  seen  that  he  was 
zealous  and  inflexible. 

Sir  Thomas  More  was  the  author  of  various  works, 
though  nothing  but  his  "Utopia"  has  long  been  read; 
which  is  owing  to  their  having  been  chiefly  of  the  polemic 
kind,  and  written  in  defence  of  a  cause  which  could  not  be 
supported.  His  English  works  were  collected  and  pub- 
lished by  the  order  of  queen  Mary,  in  1557;  his  Lathi,  at 
Basil,  in  1563;  and  at  Louvain,  in  1566;  and  show  that 
he  was  admirably  skilled  in  every  branch  of  polite  learning]:. 

As  to  his  family,  by  his  first  wife  he  had  four  children, 
who  all  survived  him ;  three  daughters  and  one  son,  named 

•  More's  great  grandson  has  de-  pitieth  me  to  remember  unto  what  un- 
voted the  12th  chapter  of  his  Life  of  sir  sery,  poor  soul,  she  will  shortly  come. 
Thomas,  to  an  account  of  the  effect  These  dances  of  hers  will  prove  such 
produced  on  the  minds  of  the  mos'temi*  dances,  that  she  will  .spurn  our  heads 
neat  men  of  the  times  by  his  execu-  off  like  foot-balls  ;  but  it  will,  not  be 

,  tion.    After  reading  it,  who  would  envy  long  ere  her  head  will  dance  the  like 

his  enemies  ?  dance.*' 

i       f  Oq  one  occasion,  when  sir  Thomas         J  See  a  minute  account  of  his  works 

More'*  daughter  Margaret  gained  ad-  in  OWlys's  Librarian,  and  particularly 

mittance  to  him  in  the  Tower,  he  asked  ia  the  prefatory  matter  to  Dibdia's 

her  how  queen  Anne  did  ?  "  In  faith,  edition  of  the  "  Utopia.",  For  sir  Tbo- 

father,"   said  she,  "  never  better :—  mas's  patronage  of  Holbein,  see  our 

there  is  nothing  else  in  the  court  but  life  of  that  artist,  and  Mr.  Dibdia's 
dancing  and  sporting. v— "  Never  bet- .  accdunt   of  the  various  portraits  of 

ter  ?"  said  he,  "  alas,  Meg,  alai !  it  More. 


3*0  M  O  R  E. 

i 

John,  after  bis  grandfather.  Sir  Thomas  had  the  three 
daughters  first,  and  his  wife  very  much  desired  a  boy  :  at 
last  shq  brought  hioi  this  son,  who  appearing  weak  m  his 
intellects)  sir  Thomas  said  to  his  lady,  "  Thou  hast  prated 
so  long  for  a  boy,  that  thou  hast  one  how  who  will  be  a 
boy  as  long  as  he  lives."  By  a  liberal  education,  however, 
his  natural -parts  se6m  to  have  bfceri  much-  improved. 
Among  Erasmus's  letters,  there<  is  one  writteu  to  him-,  id 
which  that  great  scholar  calls  him  "Of>tim&  Spei  Ador 
Jescens."  Erasmus  also  inscribed  to  him  the  "  Niix  of 
Ovid,"  and  "  An  Account  of  Aristotle's  Works."  After 
the  death  of  his  father  he  was  committed  to  the  Tower  for 
refusing  the  same  oath  of  supremacy,  and  condemned,  but 
afterwards  pardoned,  and  set  at  liberty,  which  favour  be 
did  not  long  survive.  He  was  married  very  young  to  a 
Yorkshire  heiress,  by  whom  he  bad  five  sons.  His  eldest 
son  Thomas  had  a  son  of  the  same  name,  who,  being  a 
zealous  Roman  catholic,  gave  the  family  estate  to  his 
younger  brother,  and  took  orders,  at  Rome  ;  whence,  by 
the  pope's  command,  he  came  a  missionary  into  England. 
He  afterwards  lived  at  Rome;  where,  and  in  Spain*  he 
negociated  the  affairs  of  the  English  clergy  at  his  own  ex- 
pence.'  He  died,  aged  fifty-nine  years,  in  April  1625 ; 
and,  two  years  after,  was  printed  in  4to,  with  a  dedication 
to  Henrietta  Maria,  king  Charles  I.'s  queen,  his  ".  Life  of 
sir  Thomas  More,"  his  great  grandfather.  The  ieafcned 
author  of  the  "  Life  of  Erasmus"  says,  that  ?'  this  Mr. 
More  was  a  narrow-minded  zealot,  and  a  very  fanatic ;" 
and  afterwards  adds,  very  justly,  that  "  there  is  no. relying 
on  such  authors  as  these,  unless  they  cite  chapter  and 
verse." 

As  for  sir  Thomas's  daughters,  the  eldest  of  them,  Mar- 
garet, was  married  to  William  Roper,  esq.  of  Well-hall, 
in  the  parish  of  Eltham,  in  Kent;  who  wrote  the  **  Life" 
of, his  father-in-law,  which  was  published  by  Hearne  at 
Oxford,  in  1716,  8vo.  She  was  a  woman  of  great  talents 
and  amiable  manners,  and  seems  to  have  been  to  More 
what  Tullia  was  to  her  father  Cicero,  his  delight  and  com- 
fort .  The  greatest  care  was  taken  of  her  education  ;  and 
she  became  learned  not  only  in  the  Greek  and  Latin 
tongues,  but  in  music, '  arithmetic,  and  other  sciences. 
She  wrote  two  €t  Declamations"  in  English,  which  her  fa- 
ther and  she  turned  into  Latin  ;  and  both  so  elegantly,  that 
it  was  hard  to  determine  which  was  best.  '  She  wrote  also  a 


MORE.  361 

treatise  of  the  'J  Four  last  Things;"  and,  by  her  sagacity^ 
corrected  a  corrupt  place  in  "  St..  Cyprian,",  reading  "  ner- 
▼os  sinceritatis,"  for  "  nisi  vos  sinceritatis."  Erasmus 
wrote  a  letter  to  her*  as  to  a  woman  famous  not  only  fop 
virtue  and  piety,  but  also  for  true  and  solid  learning. 
Cardinal  Pole  was  so  affected  with  the  elegance  of  her  La- 
tin style,  that  he  could-  not  at  first  believe  what  he  read  ta 
be  penned  by  a  woman.  This  deservedly-illustrious  lady 
died  in  1544,  and  was  buried  at  St.  Dunstan's  church  in 
Canterbury*,  with  her  father's  head  in  her  arms,  according 
to  her  desire ;  for  she  had  found  means  to.  procure  his 
head,  after  it  had  remained  upon  London-bridge  fourteen 
days,  and  had  carefully  preserved  it  ii»  a  leaden  box,  tilt 
there  was  an  opportunity  of  conveying  it  to  Canterbury,  to 
the  burying-place  o£*the  Ropers  in  the  church  above  men- 
tioned*. Of  five  children  which  she  brought,  there  was  a 
daughter  Mary,  as  famous  for  parts  and  learning  almost  as 
herself.  This  Mary  was  one  of  the  gentlewomen,  as  they 
were  then  called,  of  queen  Mary's  privy  chamber.  She 
translated  into  English  part  of  her  grandfather's  "  Expo- 
sition 6f  the  Passion  of  our  Saviour ;"  and  also  "  Eusebius's 
Ecclesiastical  History'*  from  the  Greek  into  Latin  ;  but 
this  latter  translation  was  never  published,  being  antici- 
pated by  ChristophersOn's  Version. 

Sir  Thomas  had  no  children  by  his  second  wife,  who  was 
a  widow,  named  Alice  Middleton,  and  who  surviving  hint 
was  obliged  to  quit  the  house  at  Chelsea,,  his  estate  being, 
seized  as  a  forfeiture  by  the  crown;  but  the  king  allowed 
her  an  annuity  of  20/*  for  her  life.  His  last  male  descend- 
ant is  said  to  have  been  the  rev.  Thomas  More,  who  died 
at  Bath  in  1795.  The  present  lady  Ellenborough  is  said 
to  be  a  female  descendant, ! 

MOREAU  (Jacob  Nicolas),  a -French  advocate,  coun- 
sellor of  the  aides  of  Provence,  historiographer  of  France, 

*  la  the.  wall  of  this  vault  is  a  small  of  the  vault  for  some  of  the  late  sk 

niche,  where,  behind  an  iron  grate,  is  Edward   Deri  rig's  family,  whose   first 

kept  gfsottll  Catted  sir  Thomas  More's,  lady  was' a  descendant  of  the  Ropers* 

whtqh  iMr.  Goetlipg,  a  piergymau  of  ,  Granger?* ,  Biog.  Hist,  in  art.  Marga* 

Canterbury,  informed  Mr.  Granger  he  rita  Ropcra. 
had  seeti  several  times  on  the  opening 

1  The  life;  of  sir  Thomas  More  has  been  written  by  Stapletori,  by  his  grand- 
son . .  Thomas  Mote,  by  JrlotMesdOB,  by  his  son-in-law  Roper,  and  more  re- 
centta  by;  Warner,  Mr.  Cay  ley,  jun.  and  Mr.  Macdiarraid,  in  his  "  Lives  of 
British  Statesmen."  Dr.  Wordsworth  has  also  given  a  life  in  his  "  Ecclesiastical 
Btogrttptoy'ifroma  MS.  in  the  Lambeth  library,  which  he  attributes  to  Harps- 
%e|4«-^J4r^tf  ^'fe  tf  Brasmfjs,  &c.  &c— Lywns'*  Environs,  vol.  II. 


382    ,  M  O  R  E  A  U. 

1 

and  librarian  to  the  queen,  was  born  at  St.,  Florentine, 
Dec.  20,  1717.     Of  his  early  life  we  have  little  account, 
but  it  appears  that  he  quitted  his  professional  engagements 
in  the  country  when  young,  and  came  to  Paris  to  indulge 
his  taste  for  study  and  speculation.     Having  acquired  con- 
siderable fame  by  his  writings,  be  was  appointed,  historio- 
grapher of  France,  and  was  long  employed  in  collecting 
and  arranging  all  the  charters,  historical  documents*  and 
edicts  and  declarations  of  the  French  legislature  from  the. 
time  of  Charlemagne  .to  the  present  day.    This  vast  col- 
lection being  reduced  to  order  was  put  under  his  especial 
care,  under  the  title  of  "  Depot  des  chartres  et  de  legisla- 
tion :"  whether  it  was  dispersed  at  the  revolution  does  n$t 
appear.     He  also  employed  bis. pet),  on  a  variety  of  subjects, 
some  arising  from   temporary  circumstances,  and   others 
suggested  probably  in  the  course  of  his  researches.    .  Among, 
these  are :  1.  "  Observateur  Hollandais,"  a  kind  of  politi- 
cal journal,  consisting  of  forty-five  papers,  written  against 
the  measures  of  the  English  court,  at  what  period  we  knew 
not,  as  our  authority  does  not  specify  its  date.    2.  "  Me- 
moire  pour  servir  k  Phistoire  des  Cacouac,"  1757,  12 mo, 
a  satire,  which  was  probably  of  a  beneficial  tendency,  as 
it  created  him  enemies  among  the  irreligious  writers  of 
France.     3.  "  Memoires  pour  servir  a  Phistoire  de  notre 
temps,"  1757,  2  vols.  12mo.     4.  ^Devoirs  d'un  prince," 
1775,  8vo,  reprinted  1782.     In  this  he  is  said  to, have  ex- 
ppsed  the  dangers  of  a  corrupt  court,  and  to  have  predicted 
its  ruin  from  that  torrent  of  corruption  which  would  one 
day  overwhelm  both  the  flatterers  and  the  flattered.     5. 
"  Principes  de  morale  politique  et  du  droit  public,  ou  Diss? 
cours  sur  Phistoire  de  France,"  1777—178,9,  21  vol*.  Svb» 
This,  which  is  his  principal  work,  attracted  much  attention 
by  the  boldness  and  freedom  of  some  of  his  opinion*,  but 
these  he  did  not  carry  so  far  as  to  enable  us  to  class  him 
among  the  revolutionary  writers ;  for  while  some  critics  in 
France  consider  him  as  never  separating  the  cause  of  the 
people  from  that  of  the  prince,  others  condemn  him  for 
writing  under  ministerial  influence,  and  inclining  to  the 
support  of  arbitrary  power.     It  was  his  maxim  that  every 
thing  should  be  done/or  the  people,  but  nothing  hy  thero, 
and  that  the  best  state  of  France  would  be  that  in  whidi. 
the  people  received  their  laws  from  the  absolute  will  of  a 
chief.     Upon  account  of  these  sentiments  he  is  said  to  have 
been  refused  a  place  in  the  French  academy ;  yet  he  was 


MQREAU.  ZS$ 

not  guillotined,  as  has  been  reported,  but  survived  all  the 
horrors  of  tbe  revolution,  and  died  quietly  at  Cbambouci, 
near  St.  Germain-ent-Laye,  in  1799.  His  personal  cha- 
racter is  represented  as  very  amiable.  He  was  a  good 
father,  a  good  husband,  and  a  friend  to .  religion  and 
peace. l 

MOREL  is  the  name  of  a  family  well  known  among  tbq 
eminent  French  printers,  although  we  are  not  sure  that 
they  were  all  closely  related.  The  first,  William,  an  ex- 
cellent scholar  in  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
wa#  corrector  of  the  press  of  Louis  Tilletan,  and  then  suc- 
ceeded Turnebus  as  director  of  the  royal  printing-office, 
in  1555.  He  employed  bis  attention  principally  on  Greek 
authors,  and  his  editions  are  much  esteemed.  He  also 
wrote  critical  commentaries  on  "  Cicero  de  finibus,"  Pa- 
ris, 1545,  4to;  and  compiled  a  Greek -Latin -and  French 
dictionary.  He  died  in  1564.  He  appears  to  have  in- 
jured his  property  by  the  expences  of  his  undertakings, 
as  we  find  Turnebus  addressing  a  letter  to  Charles  IX. 
king  of  France,  recommending  his  widow  and  children  to 
bis  majesty's  bounty.  The  next  we  meet  with,  Frederic 
the  elder,  a  native  of  Champagne,  was  king's  printer  at 
Paris,  and  interpreter  to  his  majesty  for  tbe  Greek  and 
Latin  languages ;  he  composed  several  works,  and  died  at 
Paris  in  1583,  at  abbut  the  age  of  60,  leaving  a  son,  known 
$s  Frederic  Morel  the  younger,  the  most  celebrated  of 
the  family,  who  succeeded  his  father,  in  1581,  as  king's 
printer  in  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  Latin,  and  French  tongues. 
He  was  well  versed  in  these  languages,  and  translated  from 
the  Greek,  and  published,  from  the  manuscripts  in  the  king's 
library,  a  number  of  authors,  particularly  the  fathers,  with 
annotations  of  his  own.  He  sacrificed  every  thing,  to  study, 
and  being  informed  that  his  wife  was  in  the  act  of  expir- 
ing* he  refused  to  quit  his  pen  till  he  had  finished  what  he 
was  afcput,  and  by  that. time  news  was. brought  him,  that 
abacas  dead  ;„  to  which  be  coolly  replied,  "  I  am  sorry  for 
it ^r she  was  a  good  proman*"  •  He  died  in  1638,  at  the  age 
of  78.  .  fie  had  a  brother  Claude,,  who  was  nominated 
king's  printer  in  1602,  and  published  valuable  editions  of 
*ev£ral  Greek  fathers,  and  other  authors,  to  which  he  pre.- 
fo^d  Je^rned  prefaces  of  his  own  composition.  He  died 
IP  }{> 26,,  while  he  was  engaged  In  an  edition  of  St.  Atba- 

.  *  Dig*.  H\*L 


384  M  O  RE  L. 

nasius  and  Libanius,  which  was  completed  by  hi*  ton 
Claude,  who  succeeded  to  the  business.  Charles,  an- 
other son  of  Frederic,  exercised  the  same  office  with 
credit,  which  he  resigned,  in  1639,  to  his  brother  Giles. 
The  latter  printed  an  edition  of  Aristotle,  Greek  and  Latin* 
in  four  volumes  folio,  and  the  great  Bibliotheca  Patrum, 
in  17  volumes.1 

MOREL  (Andrew),  an  eminent  antiquary,  was  born  at 
Bern  in  Swit2erland,  it  does  not  appear  in  what  year.     He 
had  so  strong  a  passion  for  the  study  of  medals,-  that  h4 
was  firmly  persuaded  of  its  being  natural  to  him.     He  tra- 
velled^ through  several  countries,  ami  made  large  collec- 
tions.    In  1673  be  became  acquainted  at  Basil  with  Charles 
Patin,  who  communicated  to  him  many  very  curious  and 
rare  medals,  and  also  several  other  things  which  related  to  * 
the  science.     At  Paris  he  had   access  to  the   king's  ca- 
binet, and  was  permitted  to  design  from  it  whatever  be 
pleased.     He  was  exhorted %  by   Ezekiel  -  Spanheim*  and. 
others  of  his  learned  acquaintance,  to  prepare  his  collec- 
tions for  the  public ;  and,  in  1683,  he  published  at  Pari*, 
in    8vo,    "  Specimen   universae  rei  nummariae   antiquae." 
The  great  work,  of  wiiich  this  was  a  specimen,  was  to  be 
a  complete  collection,  of  all  ancient  medals,  of  which  he 
bad  at  that  time  20,000  exactly  designed.     At  Leipsio, 
1695,   in   8vo,   was   published   a  second   edition   of    this 
"  Specimen,"  corrected,  altered,  and  augmented ;  to  which 
were  added*  some  letters  of  Spanheim,  upon  the  subject  of  , 
medals. 

Soon  after  this  Essay  appeared,  Louis  XIV.  gave  hirii  a 
place  in  his  cabinet  of  antiques  ;  which,  though  it  brought 
him  great  honour,  and  some  profit  for  the  present,  yet 
cost  him  very  dear  in  the  end  :  for,  whether  he  spoke  too 
freely  of  Mr.  de  Louvois,  on  account  of  his  salary,  which, 
it  seems,  was  not  very  well  paid,  or  for  some  private  rea- 
son, of  which  we  are  ignorant,  be  was,  by  order  of  that 
minister,  committed  to  the  Bastite,  where  he  lay  for  three 
years.  He  was-  released  at  the  death  of  Louvois,  which 
happened  in  1691,  but  not  till  the  canton- of  Bern  solicited 
in  his  favour.  He  then  returned  to  Switzerland,  and  re* 
sumed  his  grand* design  ;  and  afterwards-,  in  1694,  went  to" 
Arnstad  in  Germany,  upon  an  invitation  from  the  count- of 
Schwartzburg,  with  whom  be  lived  in  quality  of  his  anti" 

1  Moreri. — Diet.  HisU— Wolfii  Monramenta  Typographica. — MaHtnire. 


M  OREL.  .  3S*. 

quafy..  The  count  bad  a  fine  collection  ©f  rhedals,  and 
furnished  him  with  every  thing  necessary  for  carrying  or* 
his  gjreat  wort  Spanheiin,  who  returned  from  France  to 
Berlin  in  1689,  had  a  desire  to  see  him  again*  and  gave, 
him.  also  all  the  assistance  and  encouragement  be  could  jt 
yet  some  unforeseen  accidents  prevented  him  frota  com-, 
pleting  it.  He  died  of  an  apoplexy  at  Arnstad,  April  10, 
1703. 

lo  1701  he  had  published  "  Epistola  ad  J.  Periaonkm* 
de  Nurarms  eqnsularibus,"  in4to;  which  Periaotoius  re-' 
printed  at  Ley  den  in  17  IS,  at  the  end  of  nis  piece  "  D# 
iEre  gravi,"  in  8vo.  In  1734,  came  out  at  Amsterdam, 
in  2  vols,  folio,  "  Thesaurus  Morelhanus,  stve  Faolitiatomv 
Komtnarumr  Numismata  omnia,  dttigentissime  andiqitte  con- 
quisita,  &c.  Nunc  prtmtant  edidit  &  conHnentasio  perpe- 
two  iUusfralvk  Sigebertus  Havereaafrpjas."  This  was  part  of 
Morel's  great  work,  and  contains  an  explication!  of  $53$ 
medals,  engraved  with  their  reverses.  It-  appeals,  that 
tbis  learned  man  was  not  so  much  in  love  with  numistna-; 
deal  pursuits,  as  to  despise  all  others*  but  knew  the  nature 
and  bounds  of  the  province,  as  well  as  the  real  use;  and 
value  of  the  science  which  he  had  cultivated. 1 

MORELL  (T  ho  Was),  an  able  classical  scholar  and  edi- 
tor, vpas  born  at  Eton  in  Buckinghamshire,  March  18,  1703. 
His  father's  name  was  Thomas,  and  his  mother,  probably 
after  tbe  decease  of  her  husband,  kept  a  boarding-housei 
in  the  college.  At  the  age  of  twelve  be  was  admitted  ok 
tbe  foundation  at  Eton-school,  and  was  elected,  thence  tot 
King's  college,  Cambridge,  Aug.  3,  1722,  He  took  his* 
first  degree  in  1726,;  became  M.  A.  in  1730,  and  IK  D.  in 
.1743>  In  1731  he  was  appointed  to  the  curacy  of  Kewy 
in  Surrey,  and  was  some  time  also  curate  of  Twickenham* 
In  July  1733  he  was  admitted  ad  eundem  at  Oxford  ;  and 
in  1737  became  a  fellow  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries,  hav- 
ing just  been  instituted,,  on  the  presentation  of  his  college* 
to  the  rectory  of  Buckland  in  Hertfordshire,  the  only  pre- 
ferment  he.  ever  obtained.  In  1775,  indeed,  we  find  him 
appointed  chaplain:  to  the  garrison  at  Portsmouth,  and  be 
for  sererat  years  preached  Mr.  Fairchild's  Botanical  Ser- 
mon on  Whit-Tuesday,  at  St.  Leonard's  Shoreditch; 
but  these  scarcely  deserve  the  name  of  preferments.  A* 
tie  rendered  many  important  services  to  literature,  it  is 

»  Nioeraot  vol.  XXXlW—Moreri. 

Vol.  XXII.  C  c 


368 


MOH  ELL. 


rather  singular  that  he  never  merwith  a  patron  who  might 
have  rendered  him  independent ;  but  he  knew  little  of  the 
world,  and  found  so  much  pleasure  in  his  studies,  as  to 
neglect  the  common  observances  of  polite  life.  He  was 
probably  contented ;  but  he  was  always  poor,  and  fre- 
quently in  debt.  He  was  warm  in  his  attachments,  and 
was  a  cheerful  and  entertaining  companion.  He  was  ex- 
tremely fond  of  music,  and  in  early  life  associated  much 
with  its  professors.  Mr.  Cole  thirties  this  did  him  no  ser- 
vice, and  informs  us  that  at  one  time  his  chief  dependance 
was  oh  a  Mons.  Desnoyers,  a  dancing  master,  who  had  some 
interest  with  Frederick  prince  of  Wales,  but  Desnoyera 
died  before  he  could  obtain  any  thing  for  him.  Those 
who  feel  for  the  character  of  the  age  would  not  have  been 
pleased  to  record  that  a  divine  and  a  scholar  *  attained 
preferment  through  such  a  medium.  He  died  Feb*  19, 
1784,  and  was  buried  at  Chiswick.  In  1738  he  married 
Antie,  daughter  of  Henry  Barker,  esq.  of  Chiswick,  by 
whom  be  had  no  issue. 

He  was  .an  early  contributor  to  the  Gentleman's  Maga- 
zine ;  assisted  Hogarth  in  bis  "  Analysis  of  Beauty,**  and 
published  sorne  occasional  sermons.  His  other  publica- 
tions followed  in  this  order,  l.  "  The  Life  of  Dr.  Edward 
Littleton,"  prefixed  to  the  first  volume  of  bis  sermons,  in 
1735.  2.  "  Poems  on  Divine  Subjects;  original  and  trans- 
lated from  the  Latin  of  Marcus  Hieronymus  Vida,  with  large 
annotations,  more  particularly  concerning  the  being  and 
attributes  of  God,"  Lond.  1732,  8vo,  reprinted  1736.  3. 
"  The  Canterbury  Tales  of  Chaucer,  in  the  original,  from 
the  most  authentic  MSS.  and  as  they  are  turned  into  mo- 
dern language  by  the  most  eminent  hands,"  ibid.  1737. 
4.  "  A  copy  of  English  congratulatory  verses  on  the  mar* 


•  Id  Wooll's  Life  of  Dr.  Wart  on  we 
have  the  following  characteristic  anec- 
dote of  Dr.  Morelf.  When  he  visited 
Winchester,  he  in  a  casual  survey  of 
the  college  entered  the  school,  in  which 
•ome  junior  boys  were  writing  their  ek- 
ercises,  one  of  whom,  struck  no  less 
with  his  air  and  manner  than  the  quesr 
4ions  he  put  to  them,  whispered  to  his 
school -fellows,  <*  Is  he  not  a  fine  old 
^Grecian!"  The  Doctor,  overhearing 
the  expression,  turned  hastily  round, 
and  exclaimed,  "  I  am  indeed  an  old 
Grecian,  my  little  man !  Did  you 
never  tee  my  head  before  my  Tfoesau- 


rus  ?"  The  boy,  having  made  an  awk- 
ward apology,  hastily  withdrew;  and 
soon'  finding  two  of 'the  Pr»po«ito*s, 
repeated  to  them  the  stranger's  words* 
who,  aware  of  the  dignity  of  th-ir  vi- 
sitor; instantly  came  up,  and,,  intro- 
ducing themselves,  offered  in  a  ..most 
respectful  manner  to  shew  him  the 
college :  he  accepted  their  offer,  and 
after  visiting  every  part  of  it  with  a 
view  of  discovering  the  v  information, 
and  attainments,  as  well  as  gratifying 
the  politeness  of  bis  guides,  parted 
from  them  highly  pleased  with  the  at- 
tention which  had  been  shewn  turn. 


MORELL,  387 

mge  of*  the  •  prince  of  Orange  with  the  princess  Anne," 
1737.  5.  \i€  Philalethes  and  Theophanes;  or  a  summary 
v4ew  of  the  last  controversy  occasioned  by  a  book  entitled 
'.The  Moral  Philosopher,'  parti."  Lond.  1739,  8vo,  re* 
printed  1740.  6.  "  The  Christian's  Epinikion,  or  Song  of 
Triumph*  \  a  paraphrase  on  1  Cor.  xv.  attempted  in  blank 
verse;  with  annotations,  explanatory  and  critical,"  ibid. 
1743,-  4to.  7.  "  Hope,  a  poetical  essay,  in  blank  verse, 
on  that  Christian  grace,  in  three  books,"  1745.  S.  "  Spen- 
ser's Works,"  by  subscription,  1747.  9.  "  Euripidis  .He- 
oaba,  Orestes,  et  Phenissoe,  cum  scholiis  antiquis,  &c." 
1748,  2  vols.  8vo.  This  is  a  reprint  of  King's  edition, 
with  the  Alcestes  added  by  himself.  In  1749,  Dr.  Morell 
published  the  "Hecuba,"  translated  from  the  Greek,  with 
annotations;  10.  A  specimen  of  his  "Thesaurus,"  1757. 
11.  "  Philoctetes,"  1757,  8vo.  12.  "Thesaurus  Graces 
Pbeseos,  sive  Lexicon  Grseco-prosodiacum,"  &c.  4to,  with 
Hogarth's  portrait  of  the  author.  The  value  of  this  work 
has  been  so  long  and  so  often  acknowledged,  that  it  is  only 
necessary  to  add  that  a  much  improved  edition  is  now  in 
the  hands  of  an  eminent  scholar,  and  nearly  ready  for  pub- 
lication. 13.  The  "Prometheus"  of  JEscbylus,  &c.  1767, 
'8yo;  1774,  4to..  14.  "A  Dissertation  oa  the  Corbridgd 
altar  now  In  the  British  Museum,"  &c.  in  a  Latin  letter  tQ 
the  hon.  Daines  Barrington,"  1774,  printed  in  the  Ar- 
tthaeologia,  vol.  III.  15.  "  Sacred  Annals;  or. the  Life  of 
Christ,  as  recorded  by  the  Four  Evangelists,"  &c.  1776, 
4 to.  He  also  published  a  corrected  edition  of  Hederick's 
Lexicon,  and  three  editions  of.  Ainsworth's  Dictionary ; 
and  compiled  the  words  for  Handel's  Oratorios.  After  his 
death  was  published  a  translation  of  "  Seneca's  Epistles," 
with  annotations,  1786,  2  vols.  4to.  This  is  a  correct  and 
faithful  translation,  but  never  attracted  much  public  atten- 
tion. In  1794  also  was  published  "  Notes  and  Annotations 
on  Locke  on  the  Human  Understanding,  written  by  order 
of  the  queen  (Caroline),  corresponding  in  section  and  page 
to  the  edition  of  1793,"  8vo.  This,  which  was  written  by 
the  author  while  in  the  prime  of  life,  does  great  credit  to 
bis  talents  as  a  metaphysician,  and  has  been  judged  a  very 
necessary  aid  in  the  perusal  of  Locke.1 
'  MORERI  (Lewis),  a  French  divine,  and  the  first  com- 
piler of  the  "  Great  Historical  Dictionary,"  which  still  goes 

k  *  Nichols's  Bowyer.— Harwood's  Alumni  Etonense*. 

CC  2 


SSS  UQBEKL 

By  bis  name,  was  born  at  Bargemont,  a  small  vjllage  in 
Provence,  in  1643.  He  was  educated  in  classical  learn- 
ing at  Draguignan,  under  the  fathers  of  the  Christian  doc- 
trine* He  studied  rhetoric  in  the  college  of  Jesuits  at  Aix, 
wh^re  he  also  performed  his:  course  of  philosophy;  and 
thence  removing  to  Lyons,  studied  divinity.  When  he' 
was  but  eighteen,  he  composed  a  small  allegorical  work, 
entitled  "  Le  pais  d' Amour ;"  and,  in  1666,  a  collection  of 
French  poems,  which  he  called  "  Doux  phi i sirs  de  la 
Poesie  :"  to  which  works  he  put  only  the  first  fetters  of  his 
riame,  L.  M.  He  applied  hitpself  diligently  to  the  Italian* 
and  Spanish  languages;  and  this  latter  enabled  hi  pa  toi 
translate  Rodriguez's  treatise  on  Christian  perfection*  It 
was  printed  at  Lyons  in  1677,  in  3  vols.  8vo,  under  the 
title,  "  Pratique  de  ha  Perfection  Chr6tienoe  &  Religieuse, 
traduite  de  tf  Espagnol  d'Alpbon$e  Rodriguez."  After  he 
had  taken  orders,  be  preached  on  controversial  points  at 
Lyons  for*  five  years,  with  great  success  ;  and  here  formed 
the  plan  of  hU  "  Historical  Dictionary,"  the  first  edition 
of  which  appeared  at  Lyons,  in  1674.  In  this  he  professed 
to  collect  and  digest  into  alphabetical  order,  whatever 
seemed  to  him  curious  in  sacred  and*  profane  history,  so 
that  hence  information  might  he  had  upon  all  kinds  of  sub- 
jects in  a  moment :  and  every  body  was  amazed  to  see  so 
laborious  a  work  from  so  young  a  man. 

The  same  year  he  was  taken  into  the  family  of  the  bishop 
q£  Apt,,  in  Provence,  whom  he  attended  the  year  following1 
to  Paris ;  and  was  soon  introduced  to  the  prelates,  who 
beld  their  assembly  in  St.  Germain  en  Laye,  and  to  the 
learned  men  in  the  metropolis.  While  he  was  engaged'  in 
the  second  edition  of  his  "  Dictionary,"  hia  friends  recom- 
mended him  to  M.  de  Pompone,  secretary  of  state,  who 
invited  him  to  bi&  house,  in  1678.  H#  might  have  ex- 
pected great  advantages  from  the  patronage  of  that  minis- 
ter; but  his  intense  application  to  his  ^  Dictionary"  in-> 
jured  bis  health  in  such  a  manner  that  he  never  recovered) 
k.  M.  de  Pompone  having  resigned  his. post  in  1679,  Mo-. 
refi  took  the  opportunity  of  retiring  to  his  own  house,,  ia 
qftder  to  complete  his  work,  but  his  health  declining .  ra-: 
pidly,  he  died  July  10,  1680,  aged  37.  Besides  the  wrifc-s 
ings  above  mentioned,  he  put  the  "  Lives  of  the  Saints" 
into  moce  elegant.  French,  and.  added  methodical  tables  for; 
the  use  of  preachers,  with  chronological  tables ;  and,  in 
1671,  he  published  at  Lyons  the  following  book,  "Rela- 


M  O  R  E  R  T,  889 

twins  nouve lies  du  Levant,  oa  Trails  de  la  Religion,  du 
Gouvernment,  &  des  Coutonies,  des  Perses,  des  Arose* 
mens,  &  des  G&ures,  compost  par  le  P.  G.  D.  G.  C.  (P\ 
Cabriel  du  Chinon,  Capuchin)*  &  donnas  an  public  par  le 
sieur  L.  M.  P.  D.  E.  T."  (that  is,  Loais  Moreri,  Pretrej 
Docteur  en  Theologie.) 

The  first  edition  of  his  '*  Dictionary"  tfcras  comprized  ill 
one  vol.  folio,  which  he  aooo  found  very  defective*  ahql 
therefore  applied  himself  with  great  vigour  to  enlarge  it ; 
which  he  did  in  two  volumes,  and  tbfe  year  after  his  death 
it  was  printed  at  Paris  in  1681.  The  third  edition,  in  1683* 
is  likewise  in  two  volumes,  and  was  copied  from  the  second* 
The  two  following  editions,  of  which  the  fourth  was  printed 
in  1687,  and  the  fifth  in  1888,  were  published  at  Lyons 
in  two  volumes,  aud  were  the  same  with  that  of  1683,  ex* 
fcept  that  some  articles  were  added.  It  was  afterwards 
thought  proper  to  give  a  "  Supplement  or  third  Volume  of 
the  Historical  Dictionary,"  which  was  printed  in  1689  in 
folio.  The  sixth  edition,  iti  which  is  inserted  the  Sup*- 
plement  in  the  same  alphabetical  order;  corrected  iti  a 
great  number  of  places,  and  enlarged  by  many  khportan* 
articles  and  Remarks,  was  printed  at  Amsterdam  in  1691 
in  four  volumes  in  folio.  Le  Cierc  had  the  tare  of  this 
edition,  in  which  the  amities  of  the  Supplement  are  incon 
porated,  and  made  the  additions,  consisting  either  of  new 
articles,  or  improvements  of  other  articles.  Three  morfe 
editions  followed,  almost  the  same,  in  Jti§4,  1698,  and 
1699,  all  in  4  vols,  folio.  The  tenth  was  printed  from  the 
edition  revised  by  L<?  Clerc,  at  Amsterdam,  1702,  in 
4  vols,  folio.  The  eleventh  was  published  by  Mbns.  VauK 
tier  with  new  additions,  at  Paris;  1 704>  4  voto.  folio.  It 
was  preceded  by  a  piece  entitled  "  Projet  pour  la  Correc- 
tion du  Dictidnnaire  Hlstorftjue  de  M.  Moreri,  dejarevw, 
corrigg,  &  augments'  dans  le  demrete  Edition  de  Paris  par 
M.  YaUttier,"  Paris*  1701,  4tb.  It  was  followed  by  a  ptecfe 
entitled  "  Remarques  Critiques  sur  la  Noutelle  Edition  da 
Dictionnaire  Historique  de  Moreri,  donnde  en  t?04."  The 
second  edition  of  this  piece,  printed  at  Rotterdam  m  170fr, 
12  mo,  is  enlarged  with  a  preface  and  a  great  many  notes 
by  another  author,  via.  Bayle,  ivho  published  this  edition. 
The  twelfth  edition  of  Moreri  was  printed  at  Paris  in  1707, 
4  vtfU.  folio,  and. the  thirteenth  in  1712,  in  5  vote,  folio. 
Dupin  had  a  considerable  share  in  it,  as  also  in  the  follow* 
ing  editions.     In  1714,  there  was  printed  separately  ia 


MO  M  ORE  Rt 

that  city  a  large  Supplement,  composed*  as  is  said  in  the 
advertisements,  of  new  articles,  corrected  in  the  last 
edition  of  1712,  to  serve  as  a  supplement  to  the  preceding 
editions.  This  supplement  was  reprinted  with  great  addi- 
tions by  Bernard  at  Amsterdam  in  1716  in  two  volumes, 
folio.  The  fourteenth  edition  of  Moreri  was  printed, ajt 
Amsterdam  in  17 17,  in  six  volumes,  folio,  with  the  Sup* 

¥lement,  which  is  not  incorporated  in  the  body  of  the. work, 
'he  fifteenth  edition  was  printed  at  Paris,  17 18,  5  vols.  fol. 
The  articles  of  the  Supplement  published  in  Holland. are 
inserted  in  their  proper  places,  with  some  additions.  This 
edition  has  been  greatly  criticised.  The  authors. of  the 
"  Europe  S$avante"  have  inserted  ih  their  fourth  volume, 
p.  230,  a  memoir,  in  which  is  shewn,  that  ia  the  sipgle 
letter  Z,  which  is  one  of  the  shortest,  there  are  a  great 
many  faults,  and  several  articles  omitted.  The  abb6  Le 
Clerc  also  published  "  Remarks  upon  different  Articles," 
in  the  three  first  volumes,  printed  in  three  volumes  3vo; 
the  first  in  1719,  the  second  in  1720,  and  tbe  third  in 
1721.  Father  Francis  Meri,  a  Benedictine  Monk,  pub- 
lished likewise  upon  this  subject  a  pamphlet,  entitled 
"  Discussion  Critique  &  Theologiqne  des  Remarques  de 
M.  sur  le  Dictionnaire  de  Moreri.de  1.718,"  1720,  8vp.  It 
.  is  a  defence  of  some  passages  of  the  Dictionary  against  the 
criticism  of  the  abbe*  Le  Clerc.  The  sixteenth  edition, of 
Moreri  was  printed  at  Pari*  in  1724,  in  6  vols,  folio.  Mou» 
sieur  de  la  Barre  had  the  care  of  it  What  relates  to  gene- 
alogy was  revised  by  Monsieur  Vailly,  an  advocate;  and 
the  abbe*  Le  Clerc  furnished  five  or  six  thousand  correcr 
tions,  as  he  informs  us  in  his  "  Bibliotheque  de  Richelet." 
The  seventeenth  edition  was  printed  at  Basil  in  1731 ;  and 
the  eighteenth  at  Paris,  in  1732,  6  vojs.  folio,  to  which 
supplementary  volumes  were  added.  Tbe  last  and  best 
edition,  in  which  all  these  were  incorporated,  is.  that  of 
1759,  10  vols,  folio.  This  is  still  a  work. of  great  value 
and  utility,  particularly  the  biographical  part,  but  much  of 
the  historical  arid  geographical  part  has  become  almost  ob- 
solete, owing  to  the  more  correct  information  and  improver 
ments  introduced  in  those  branches.1 
.  MORES  (Ed  ward- Bo  we),  an  English  antiquary  (de- 
scended from  an  ancient  family,  which  had:  been  .-seated 
from  tbe  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  at  Great  Cox- 

\  Moreri,— Geq.  DioL«-Pict  Hi$t. 


MORES.  391 

We1l9    in  the  county  of  Berks,  ami  allied  by  his  grand- 
mother  to  that  of  Rowe,  which  had  been  settled  at  High- 
am-'Bensted  in  Walthamstow,  in  the  county  of  Essex,  ever 
since  the  middle  of  the  same  century),  was  born  Jan.  13, 
1730,  at  TunstaH  in  Kent,  where  his.  father  was  rector  Sot 
near  30  years.     He  was  educated  at  Merchant  Taylors' 
school*;  and  admitted  a  commoner  of  Queen's  college, 
Oxford,  June  24,  1746.     While  he  resided  at  Oxford,  in 
1746,  he  assisted  in  correcting  an  edition  of  "  Calasio's 
Concordance,"  projected  by  Jacob  Hive  the  printer,  who 
afterwards  associated  with  the  rev.  William  Romaine,  and 
published  this  "  Concordance"  in  1747,  4. vols,  folio.  .  Be- 
fore he  was  twenty,  Mr.  Mores  published  at-  Oxford,  .in 
1748,  4to,  "  Nomina  &  Insignia  gentilitia  Nobilium  Equi-  . 
tumque  sub  Edvardo  prhno  rege  Militantium  ;"  the  oldest 
treasure',  as  he  styles  it,  of  our  nobility  after  "Domesday" 
and  the  "  Black  Book  of  the  Exchequer."   .  He-  had  .also 
printed,  except  notes  and  preface,  a  new  edition  in  8vo, 
of  Dionysius   Halicarnassensis   "  De  clans   Rhetoribus," 
with  vignettes  engraved  by  Green,  the  few  copies  of  which 
were  sold  after  his  death  f.     In  1752,  he  printed,  in  half  a 
quarto  sheet,  some  corrections  made  by  Junius  in  his  own 
copy  of  his  edition  of  "  Csedmon's  Saxon  Paraphrase  of 
Genesis,  and  other  parts  of  the  Old  Testament,''  Amst. 
1655;  and,  in  1754,  he  engraved  fifteen  of  the  drawings 
from  the  MS.  in  the  Bodleian  library.     The  title  of  these 
plates  is,  "  Figure  queedam  antique  ex  Oedmonis  Mo~ 
nachi  Paraphraseos  in  Genesim  exemplari  pervetusto  in 
Btbliotheca  Bodleiana  adservato  delineatae  ;  ad  Anglo- Sax- 

•  t  Mr.  Mores  had  made  a  few  collec-  tides  there  are .  several  mutilations, 
tions  for  a  history  of  this  school,  and  Mr.  Mores,  in  the  interval  from  the 
lists  of  persons  educated  there.— A  first  publication,  had  written  to  several 
view  of  it  was  engraved  by  Mynde,  in  learned  men  in  different  parts  of  Eu- 
1756,  for  M  ait  land's  edition  of"  Stowe's  rope,  in  order  to  procure  any  informa- 
Survey,"  1756,  inscribed  "  Scholar  tion,  which  might  be  of  service  to  him 
Mercatorum  Seissorum  Lond.  faciei  in  completing  his  edition,  hot  met  with 
orientalis.  Negatans  a  Patronis  D.  no  success.  It  is  said  that  be  intended 
Scholar  is,  Edw.  Rowe  Mores,  arm.  to  subjoin  annotations,  but' nothing  of 
A.M.  S.  A.S."  A  history  of  this  school  that  nature  was  found  among  his  pa- 
has  just  been  ably  executed  by  the  pers,  except  some  remarks  on  the  mar- 
Rev.  H.B.  Wilson,  B.  D.  1812— 1815,  gin  of  a  copy  of  Hudson's  edition, 
%  vols.  4to.  which  was  soM  at  the  sale  of  his  books, 

f  It  was  republished  in  1781,  8vo,  to  Mr.  Oougb,    who  sai4  that  there 

and  consisted  of  two  parts ;  the  first  were  no  other  notes  in  the  book  than 

Containing  critical  observations  on  the  have  been  inserted  in  the  new  edition* 

writings   of    Lysias,    Isocrates,     and  and  doubted,  therefore,  whether  Mr^ 

Jsaeus  ;   the  second  on  Demosthenes  Mores  bad  written  any  other, 
pjid  Dinarchus;  but  in  both  these  *r. 


30*  MO  RE  SL 

ehum  mof es,  ritus,  atque  sedificia  Seculi,  prs»cipue  deeioty 
illustranda  in  lucem  edits.  Anno  Pomini  mdccliv."    The 
%  ,     %         plates,  which  were  purchased  by  Mr.  Gougb,  are  now  in 
\  ^        %  \he  Bodleian  library. 

In  1752  be  was  elected. F.  8.  A.  and  two  years  after  was 
tee  of  a  committee  for  examining  the  minute-books  of  that 
society,  with  a  view  to  selecting  thence  papers  proper  for 
publication*.    .Being  intended  for  orders  by  his  father,  he 
took  the  degrees  of  B  A.  May  12,  1750,  and  M.  A.  Jan*  15» 
1753  ;  before  which  time  he  had  formed  considerable  col- 
lections relative  to  the  antiquities,  &c.  of  Oxford,  and 
particularly  to  those  of  his  own  college,  whose  archives  bq 
,  arranged,  and  made  large  extracts  fropn,  with  a  view  to  its 
history.     He  was  at  the  ex  pence  of  three  plates  of  the 
Black  Printe's  apartments  there,  since  pulled  down,  which 
tvere  drawn  and  engraved  by  that  very  ingenious  artist 
B.  Green,     Twenty-eight  drawings  at   bis   expenfee,  by 
the  same  hand,  of  ancient  gates,  halls,  &c.  since  ruined  of 
taken  down,  were  purchased  by  Mr.  Gough,  <as  also  some 
collections  for  a  '<  History  of  Godstow  Nunnery,"  by  Mn 
Mbres,  for  which  a  plate  of  its  ruins  was  engraved,  and 
another  of  Iffley  church.     His  MSS.  relative  to  his  own 
college,  with  his  collections  about  All  Souls'  college,  fell 
after  his  death  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Astle,  who  presented 
i|re  former  to  Mr.  Price  of  the  Bodleian  library. 
;    Mr.  Mores  appears  to  have  assisted  Mr.  Bilson  m  bte 
hortesqueon  the  latter  society,  published  in  a  folio  sheet, 
entitled  "Proposals  for  printing,  by  subscription,  the  Hie* 
todry  of  the  Mallardians,"  treating  them  as  a  set  of  stupid 
ions  vivans ;  at  least  he  may  be  presumed  to  have  contri- 
buted the  prints  of  a  ca,t  said  to  have  fyeeu  starved  in  theit 
library,  and  of  two  ancient  grotesque  busts  carved  on  the 
south  wall  of  the  college,  the  plates  of  which  were  in  t& 
possession.     When  Mr.  Mores  left  the  university  he  went 
abroad,  and  is  reported  to  have  taken  orders;  but,  whe- 
ther this  tradition  has  any  better  foundation  than  his  aflfe<S 
tation  of  wearing  his  academical  habit,  a,nd  calling  it  dial 
of  a  Dominican  friar,  we  do  not  pretend  to  vouch.     It  baa 
been  sajd,  that  be  entered  into  deacon's  orders  ip.  the 
church  of  England,  to  exempt  himself  from  serving  civil 

'   *  A  more  numerous  cooimittoee  were  of  the  "  Archeqlogia"  appeared.  Mast 

appointed  for    the  same   purpose  io  *afua,ble  dissertations  and  commonicar 

1762.    Bat  still-  the  publication  lin-  tions  still  remain  unsel^cWd  frooi  t!)6 

gered  tUl  177 Q,  when  the  first  volume  early  minute-books, 


M  O  RES.  «J 

officer  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  he  received  ordination 
from  the  bishop  of  London.  Thus  touch,  however,  is  cer* 
taif>,  that  in  the  letters  of  administration  granted  to  his 
son,  on  his  dying  intestate,  he  is  styled  "  the  Reverend 
£dward~Rowe  Mores,  doctor  in  divinity,"  but,  at  what 
time,  or  by  which  of  the  bishops,  he  received  ordination, 
we  have  not  yet  discovered  Mr.  Nichols  was  assured  by 
a  very  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Mores,  that  be  received  thd 
honorary  title  of  D.  D.  in  ^consequence  of  a  literary  favouf 
which  be  had  conferred  on  some  foreign  Roman  cathdlid 
ecclesiastics,  who  wished  to  repay  him  by  a  pecuniary  ac«* 
kftowledgment,  which  he  politely  declined  accepting.  Mr. 
Mores  was  as  ambitious  of  singularity  in  religion  as  in  Other 
pursuits  ;  and  if  he  could  be  said  to  be  a  membfer  of  any 
particular  church,  it  was  that  of  Erasmus,  whom  be  en* 
deavoured  to  imitate.  He  thought  the  Latin  l&ftguagg 
peculiarly  adapted  to  devotion,  and  wished,  for  the  sake 
of  unity,  that  it  was  universally  in  use.'  He  composed  a 
creed  in  it,  with  a  kind  of  mass  on  the  death  of  his  wife, 
of  which  he  printed  a  few  copies,  in  his  own  house,  uncle* 
the  disguised  title  of"  Ordinate  Quotidianum,  1631.  Or-* 
ckxTVigintatTs."  Of  his  daughter's  education  he  was  par* 
ticularly  careful.  From  her  earliest  infancy  he  talked  to 
her  principally  in  Latin.  She  was  sent  to  Rouen,  for  edu- 
cation, but  without  the  least  view  to  her  being  a  Romai 
catholic:  oh  the  contrary,  be  was  much  displeased  when 
he  found  she  had  been  perverted.  Two  original  letters  to, 
the  superior  of  the  house  under  whose  care  she  was  placed* 
which  are  printed  in  the  "  Anecdotes  of  Rowyerj'*  contain 
a  sufficient  refutation  of  the  report  of  his  being  himself  0t 
niember  of  the  church  of  Rome. 

On  his  return  to  London,  Mr.  Mores  resided  some  yeart 
in  the-  Heralds'  college,  intending  to  have  become  a  mem* 
ber  of  that  society,  for  which  he  was  extremely  well  qua- 
lified by  bis  great  knowledge  an  &  skill  in  heraldic  matters  ; 
but,  altering  his  plan,  retired  about  tT6<>  to  Low-Layton-, 
in  which  village  he  had  resided  some  time  before,  and! 
white  he  was  churchwarden  there,  considerably  rmprovecL 
the  church.  Here,  on  an  estate  left  him  by  his  father; 
he  built  a  whimsical  house,  on  a  plan,  it  is  said,  of  one  itt 
France.  In  1759  he  circulated  queries  for  a  parochial 
*•  History  of  Berkshire,"  but  made  no  considerable  pro- 
gress. His  collections  on  that  subject  appeared  in  1789,' 
to  *be  X Vftb  mwnber  of  the  ^.Kbliotb^c^Tapogr^hk^.^ 


394  MORES. 

The  Equitable  Society  for  assurance  on  lives  and  survivor- 
ship by  annuities  of  100/.  increasing  to  the  survivors,  in 
six  classes  of  ages  from  1  to  10 — 10  to  20—20  to  SO — 30 
to  40—40  to  50 — 50  to  t^e  extremity  of  life,  owes  its  ex- 
istence to  Mr.  Mores.  It  bad  been  6rst  suggested  and  re- 
commended in  lectures,  in  1756,  by  .Mr.  James  Dodsoit, 
mathematical  master  at  Christ's  hospital,  and  author  of  the 
"  Mathematical  Repository,"  who  had  been  refused  ad- 
mission into  the  Amicable  Society  on  account  of  his  age; 
but  he  dying  November  23,  1757,  before  his  design  was 
completed,  except  the  plan  of  reimbursement  to  him  and 
his  fifty-four  associates,  Mr.  Mores  undertook  to  apply  for 
a  charter  in  1761,  but  failing  of  success,  he  with  sixteen 
more  of  the  original  subscribers,  resolved  to  persevere  in 
establishing  their  society  by  deed.  It  was  hereby  pro- 
vided that. Mr.  Mores  should  be. perpetual  director,  with 
an  annuity  of.  100/.  He  accordingly  drew  up  and  pub- 
lished, in  176:5,  "  A  short  Account  of  the  Society,"  in 
8vo  (of  which  a  seventh  edition  with  additions,  was  printed 
in  1767),  "  The  Plan  and  Substance  of  the  Deed  of  Set- 
tlement," ? ( The  Statutes,"  "  Precedents  of  sundry  Instru- 
ments relating  to  the  Constitution  and  Practice  of  the  So- 
ciety," London,  1766,  8vo.  The  "Deed  of  Settlement, 
afld  the  Declaration  of  Trust,"  1768,  "  A  List  of  the  Po- 
licies and  other  Instruments  of  the  Society,  as  well  gene- 
raj  as  special,"  8vo ;  but,  some  disputes  arising  between 
Mr.  Mores  and  the  original  members  of  this  .society,  he 
separated  from  them  that  year.  There  were  printed, 
"  Papers  relating  to  the  Disputes  with  the  Charter  Fund 
Proprietors  in  the  Equitable  Society,  .by  order  of  a  gene* 
tal  court  held  the  3d  day  of  November,  1767,  for  the  use 
of  those  assured  on  the  lives  of  others,  who  shall  apply  for 
the  same,"  1769,!'  8vo,  This  society  still  subsists,  and' 
their  office  is  in  Bridge-street,  near  Blackfriars  bridge,-  to 
which  it  was  removed  from  Nicholas-lane,  Lombard-street, 
1775.  All  Mr.  Mores's  papers  on  this  subject  came  into 
the  bands  of  Mr.  Astle.  In  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  Mr. 
Mores  (who  bad  long  turned  his  thoughts  to  the  subject 
of  early  printing)  began  to  correct  the  useful  publication 
of  Mr.  Ames.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  John  James  of  Bar- 
tholomew-close (the  last  of  the  old  race  of  letter-founders) 
in  June  1772,  Mr.  Mores  purchased  all  the  curious  parts 
of  that  immense  collection  of  punches,  matrices,  and  types, 
which  had  been  accumulating  from  the.  days  of  Wynkyo  d£ 


MORES.  395 

Werde  to  those  of  Mr.  James.  From  these  (which  were 
sold  by  auction  by  Mr.  Paterson)  a  large  fund  of  entertain- 
ment would  probably  have  been  given  to  the  curious,  if 
the  life  of  Mr.  Mores  had  been  prolonged.  His  intentions 
may  be  judged  of  from  his  valuable  "  Dissertation  on  Ty- 
pographical Founders  and  Founderies."  As  no  more  than 
80.  copies  of  it  were  printed,  this  must  always  be  consi* 
pered  as  a  typographical  curiosity.  Mr.  Nichols,  who  pur- 
chased  the  whole  impression,  subjoined  a  small  appendix 
to  it,         . 

Mr.  Mores  was  a  most,  indefatigable  collector,  and  pos- 
sessed great  application  in  the  early  part  of  his  life,  but, 
in  the  latter  part,  gave  himself  up  to  habits  of  negligence 
arid  dissipation,  which  brought  him  to  his  end  by  a  morti- 
fication, in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  at  his  house  at 
Low  Laytoo,  Nov.  28,.  1778.-  His  large  collection  of  cu- 
rious MSS.  and  valuable  library  of  books,  were  sold  by 
auction  by  Mr,  Paterson,  in  August  following.  Of  the 
former,  his  "  History  and  Antiquities  of  Tunstall  in  Kent," 
the  only  papers  that  were  completed  for  the  press,  and  for 
•which  he  bad  engraved  a  set  of  plates  out;  of  the  many 
drawing);  taken  at  his  expence,  was  purchased  at  the  sale 
by  Mr.  Nichols,  who  gave  it  to  the' public  as  a  specimen  pf 
♦parochial  antiquities,  which  will  shew  the  ideas  of  this  in- 
dustrious antiquary,  and  his  endeavour  to  make  even  the 
minutest  record  subservient  to  the  great  plan  of  national 
history. 

Mr.  Mores  married  Susannah,  daughter  of  Mr.  Bridg- 
man,  an  eminent  grocer  in  Wbitechapel,  by  whom  he 
had  a  son  and  daughter.1 

MORETON.     See  MORTON  (John). 

MORGAGNI  (John  Baptist),  an  eminent  physician 
aod  anatomist,  was  bom  at  Forli,  in  Romagna,  in  Feb- 
ruary 1682.     After  a  careful  education,  in  which  he  dis- 
played a  proficiency  in  classical  and  philosophical  acquire* 
raents  beyond  his  years,  he  studied  medicine  at  Bologna 
withgreat  ardour,  and  soon  attracted  the  attention  and  es- 
.  teem  of  his  able  masters,  Valsalva  and  Alhertini  j  the  for- 
mer of  whom  availed  himself  of  his  assistance  in  the  re* 
searches  into  .the  organ  of  hearing,  which  he  was  at  that 
tune  prosecuting,  and  in  drawing  up  his  memoirs  upon 
.that  subjeqt.    Morgagni  also  acted  as  substitute  during  the 

** 1  Nicbol*'*  Bowyer/ 


iM  MORGA  ON  I. 

absence  of  professor  Valsalva  on  a  journey  to  Partna,  And 
illustrated  his  lectures  by  numerous  anatomical  prepare* 
lions.  Soon  fcfter  be  travelled  for  improvement,  going  first 
to  Venice,  where  be  cultivated  several  branches  of  phy- 
sics, with  the  assistance  of  Poleni,  Zanichelli,  and  other 
aeientifk  men;  and  afterwards  he  visited  Padua,  where  be 
attended  the  schools,  under  the  direction  of  distinguished 
professors,  with  his  accustomed  industry..  After  his  .return 
lie  settled  for  a  short  time  at  his  native  place,  and  then  by 
the  advice  of  Guglielmini,  returned  to  Padua,  where  h* 
was  appointed  professor,  in  1?  11,  and  taught  the  theory  of 
jrttysic.  He  became  the  intimate  friend  of  the  celebrated 
Lancisi,  whom  lie  assisted  in  preparing  for  publication  the 
drawings  of  Eustachias,  which  appeared  in  1714.  He  had 
already  distinguished  himself  by  the  publication  of  the  first 
j*art  of  his  own  work,  the  "  Adversaria  Anatomica,"  Boi 
non.  1706,  4to,  which  was  remarkable  for  the  originality  of 
it*  execution,  and  for  the  accuracy,  as  well  as  the  novelty* 
of  the  observations  which  it  contained.  He  published; 
auccessively,  from  this  time  to  1719,  five  other. parts  of 
this  important  work,  which  contains  a  great  many  disco* 
veries  in  different  parts  of  the  human  body,  most  correctly 
detailed.  ^ 

The  progress  of  this  work  had  extended  his  reputation 
throughout  gurope ;  and  in  17  IS,  his  talents  were  rewarded 
by  an  appointment  to  the  first  anatomical  professorship  in 
the  university  of  Padua ;  and  henceforth  to  the  close  of  a 
long  life  he  raftked  deservedly  at  the  head  of  the  anatomists 
of  his  time,  and  literary  honours  were  accumulated  upon 
him  from  every  quarter  of  Europe.  He  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Acidemia  Natures  Curiosorum,  in  1 708  ;  of 
the  Royal  Society  of  London,  in  1724.;  of  the  Academy 
-of  Sciences  at  Paris,  in  1751  ;  of  the  Imperial  Academy 
*f  Petersburg!),  in  1735  ;  and  of  the  Academy  of  Berlin* 
in  1754 ;  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  associates  of  the  Inn 
•  atitute  of  Bologna.  All  the  learned  and  great,  who  passed 
through  Boktgna,  visited  M orgagni ;  he  was  honoured  by 
the  particular  esteem  of  three  successive  popes ;  and  his 
native  city  of  Forli  placed  his  bust  in  their  public  hall 
during  his  life,  with  an  honorary  inscription.  He  married 
a  lady  of  noble  family  at  Forli,  by  whom  he  had  fifteen 
children,  eight  of  whom  survived  him.  By  his  profession*! 
labours,  and  a  life  of  frugality,  he  accumulated  a  large 


MORQAONI.  3« 

property,  and  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  wnety  ye***, 
about  the  end  of  177  L,  in  the  possession  of  his  facult***. 

In,  addition  to  the  Adversaria,  already  mentioned, .  Maf«« 
gagni  published  the  following  works :  w  In  AttreUuro  Cel- 
sum  et  Qaintura  Serenum  SammaniewK  Epistolse  quaAuor," 
1704 ;  t4  Nova  Institutioonm  Medicarum  Idea,"  Patav. 
1712.;  which  was  written  upon,  bis  appoint  men  t  to  the 
theoretical  chair,  and  teaches  the  proper  qreUtod  of  ac- 
quiring medical  science;  "  Vita  Gugltehniot,"  prefixed  to- 
an  edition  of  the  works  of  thai  physician*  Geneva*  1719.; 
"fipisteta  Anatoraicce  dust,  novaaQhservationes  etraniinad»~ 
Versiones  complectentes,  quibus  Auatome  augetur,  &c/* 
which  were  edited  at  Leyden  by  Boerhaave,  -and  relate 
chiefly  to  a  dispute  with  Bianchi  on  the  structure  oi  the? 
liver.  «  E  pi  stoke  Anatomic®  XVIII,  ad  Scripta  pertfr 
nentes  celeb.  Ant.  Mar.  Valsalva,"  Venice,  1740,  2  vols* 
4to.  To  these  epistles  are  prefixed  a  life  of  Valsalva* 
*  De  Sedibus  et  Causis  Morborum  per  Anatomiam  ioda~< 
g&tia,  Libri  quinque,"  Venice,  1760,  folio.  This  great  and( 
valuable  work  was  published  when  the.  author  had  nearly 
reached  his  eightieth  yean  .  It  contains  a  prodigious,  col-, 
lection  of  dissections  of  morbid  bodies,,  made  -by  bjjpsel$ 
and  his  master,  Valsalva ;  arranged  according  to  the  or- 
gans of  the  body  in  which  the  disease*  were  seated.  He? 
followed  the  plan  adopted  by  Bonetus,  in  his  **  Sepulchre- 
turn  Anatomicum ;"  but  the  accuracy  and  fidelity  of  hut 
details  render  this*  collection  of  iporhid  anatomy  of  very^ 
superior  value  to  all  that  had  preceded  it.  Of  this;  work  ap> 
excellent  translation  was  published  by  Dr.  Benjamin,  Ale^^ 
ander,  in  17^9,  3  vols.  4t<*  Morgagni's  last  publication,, 
in  1763,  "  Opuscula  miscellanea,  quorum  npn  pa**ca  nun$. 
primum  prodierunt,"  Venice,  folio,  contains,  dissertation* 
on  the  lachrymal  ducts,  on  the  glands,  en  gallrstqnes,  nri-> 
nary  calculi,  &c.  in  addition  to  his.  first-pubtisbed  critical 
'dissertations  on  Celsus.  In  1765,  a  complete  edition  erfj 
his  whole  works  was.  printed  at  Bassane,  £  vols,  folio.1 

MORHOF  (Daniel  George),  a, very  learned  German* 
was  born  of.  a  good  family  at  Wismar,  a  town  in,  the  duchy 
of  Mecklenburg,  Feb.  6,  L6^9.  After  some  acheql  edur* 
cation  at  Wismar,  he  was  sent  in.  his  sixteenth  year  to  St€K 
tin,  where  he  studied  philosophy  und*i»  John  Micnsjius* 

.  »  Ftbrooi  Vita*  It*I«nun,  vol  3f. II,-*Ree*>  Cycjop^ia,— Klpy,  Diet.  l}i«i,v 

^  Medici  nf. 


3H  MO'B'HOr 

Hebrew  under  Joachim  Fabrici us,  and  civil  law  under  John 
Sithman;  without  neglecting,  in  the  mean  time,  the  belles 
lettres,  which  he  had  principally  at  heart.  In  1657,  he 
removed  to  Rostock,  in  order  to  continue  the  study  of  the 
law ;  but  in  consequence  of  his  "  Less  us  in  Ciconiam  Adri- 
anum,  carmen  juvenile  et  ludicrum,"  published  in  quarto, 
he  was  chosen  professor  of  poetry  in  1660.  The  same  year 
he  made  a  journey  into  Holland  and  England,  resided  some 
time  in  the  university  of  Oxford,  arid  then  returned  la  his 
employment  at  Rostock.  He  published,  in  1661,  "  Dis- 
sertatio  de  enthusiasmo  et  furore  poetico/"  4to;  and,  at 
franeker,  where  be  took  his  doctor's  degree,  he  published 
his  thesis  "  De  jure  silentii,"  1661,  4to.  At  Rostock  he 
remained  until  1665,  when  the  duke  of  Hols'tein,  having 
founded  an  university  at  Kiel,  engaged  him  to  accept  the 
professorship  of  poetry  and  eloquence.  In  1670,  he  made 
a  second  journey  into  Holland  and  England,  contracting 
the  acquaintance  and  friendship  of  learned  men  in  every 
place  as  he  passed  along.  He  saw  Graevius  at  Utrecht,  J. 
Frederic  Gronovius  at  Leyden,  Nicolas  Heinsius  at  the 
Hague,  &c.  In  England  he  conversed  much  with  Isaac 
Vossius,  and  with  the  hon.  Robert  Boyle.  He  admired 
Boyle  so  much,  that  he  translated  one  of  his  philosophical 
works  into  Latin,  and  published  it  at  Hamburgh  in  1671. 
Returning  to  his  own  country,  he  was  twice  in  danger  of 
losing  his  life.  He  was  near  being  shipwrecked  in  his 
passage  over  the  water;  and  he  had  like  to  have  been 
crushed  to  death  by  the  fall  of  a  great  quantity  of  books, 
and  paper,  while  he  was  amusing  himself  in  Elzevir's  shop 
at  Amsterdam.  *  The  first  of  these  dangers  was  rumoured  in 
his  own  country,  before  his  arrival ;  and  his  being  drowned 
was  so  firmly  believed,  that  several  elfegies  were  made  upon 
his  death.  He  married  at  Kiel  in  1671  ;  two  years  after 
,  was  made  professor  of  history;  and,  in  1680,  librarian  of 
the  university.  His  extreme  ardour  for  study  for  some  time 
supported  him  in  composing  his  numerous  works,  and  dis- 
charging his  official  duties;  but  his  constitution  at  length 
sunk  under  so  many  labours ;  and  his  illness,  being  in* 
creased  by  drinking  Pyrmont-waters,  carried  him  off  July 
30,  1601.  .  His  death  is  also  supposed  to  have  been 
hastened  by  his  excessive  grief  for  the  loss  of  his. wife 
in  1687. 

He  was  the  author  of  several  works  of  a  smaller  kind; 
as  "Orations,"  "  Dissertation  S,"  "Theses,"  aud  "Poems," 


J' 

MORHOF.  S9» 

some  of  which  were  of  the  ludicrous  kind,- for  which  .he 
appears  always  to  have  had  a  taste.  But  his  great  work  is 
his  "  Polyhistor,  sive  de  Notitia  Auctorum  et  Rerum.Com- 
mentarii ;"  for  such  was  its  title  when  first  published  at 
Lubec  in  1683.  It  has  been  enlarged,  since  the  death  of 
Morhof,  in  several  successive  editions ;  the  last  and  best 
Of  which  was  published  at  Lubec,  1747,  in  2  vols,  quarto, 
with  this  title  :  "  D.  G.  Morhofii  Polyhistor,  literarius,  phi- 
losophicus,  et  practicus,  cum  accessionibus  Virorum  claris- 
simorum  Joannis  Frickii  et  Joannis  Molleri  Flensburgensis* 
Editio  quacta.  .  Cui  Praefatiotiem  Notitiamque  Diariorum  li- 
terariorum  Europae  praemisit  Joannes  Albertus  Fabric  i  us, 
nunc  auctam  et  ad  annum  1747  continuatam."  This  is  the 
most  extensive,  and  perhaps  the  best  history  of  literature 
extant ;  yet  it  wants  a  more  happy  arrangement,  and  even 
with  the  help  of  an  apparently  very  minute  index,  cannot 
be  consulted  with  ease  ;  but  with  all  these  defects,  thp  ob- 
ligations which  every  man  curious  in  literary  history  owes 
to  Morhof,  are  such  asi  entitles  bis  memory  to  the  highest 
respect.    ,.-'". 

Among  his  lesser  performances  is  a  work  entitled  "  Prin- 
ceps  Medtcus,"  Roctock,  1665,  4to,  a  dissertation  on,  the 
cure  of  the  king's  evil  by  the.  kings  of  France  and  Eng- 
land, which  he  supports  as  miraculous.  He  was  answered 
by  Zeingrave,  a  divine  of  Strasburgh ;.  and  we  ought  not 
to  be  very  severe  on  Morhof 's  credulity  in  this  respect, 
when  we  consider  that  the  royal  touch  was  practised  by. 
our  own  sovereigns  for  more  than  half  a  century  after  the 
<Jate  of  his  work.  We  can  however  less  excuse  him  for  bis 
treatise  "De  transmutationemetallorum,"  Hamburgh,  1673, 
8vo,  although  eve*n  in  this  case  it  may  be  said  that  he 
was  not  the  only  man  of  learning  who  at  that  time  had  not 
forsaken  the  absurdities  of  alchemy.  He  published  •after- 
wards in.  German  a  valuable  dissertation  on  "German 
Poetry;?  another  on  the  style  of  Livy  :  ",De  Patavini- 
tate  Liviana;"  and  after  his  death  appeared  one  of  his 
Kiost  elegant  dissertations,  "  De  pura  dictione  Latina,n 
edited  by  Mosheim,  in  1725,  8vo.? 
.  MORIN  {John  Baptist),  physician  and  regius  professor 
of  mathematics  at  Paris,  was  born  at  Villefranche  in  Beau- 
jolois,  Feb.  23,  1583.     After  studying  philosophy  at  Aix 

1  Niceron,  vol.  II.— Moreri.— Eloge  by  MoNer,  in  the  edition  of  the  Polyhist, 
4^1708,  omitted  by  Fabrici us. — Saxii  Onomast. 


460  M  O  R  I  N. 

in  Provence,  and  physic  at  Avignon,  of  which  hfe  ctm*> 
menced  doctor  in  1613,  he  went  to  Paris,  and  lived  with 
Claude  Dormi,  bishop  of  Boulogne,  who  sent  him  to  ex- 
amine the  nature  of  metals  in  tbe  mines  of  Hungary.  This 
gave  occasion  to  his  "  Mundi  sublunaris  Anatomia,"  which 
was  his  first  production,  published  in  1619.  Upon  his  re- 
turn tp  his  patron  the  bishop,  he  took  a  fancy  to  judicial 
astrology,  and  began  to  inquire,  by  the  rales  of  that  art, 
into  the  events  of  1617.  Among  these  he  found,  that  the 
bishop  of  Boulogne  was  threatened  with  the  loss  of  either 
liberty  or  life,  of  which  he  forewarned  him.  The  bishop 
laughed  tit  Morin's  prediction  ;  but,  engaging  in  state-in- 
trigues, and  taking  tbe  unfortunate  side,  be  was  treated  as> 
a  rebels  and  actually  imprisoned  that  very  year.  After  the 
fell  of  his  prelate,  he  lived  with  tbe  abh£  de  la  Breton* 
Biene,  in  quality  of  his  physician,  for  f oar  years;  and,  iff 
1691,  was  taken  into  the  family  of  the  duke  of  Luxem- 
burg, where  be  lived  eight  years  more.  In  1 630,  be  wad 
chosen*  professor,  royal  of  mathematits* 

His  abilities  in  bis  profession  gave  him  access  to  thet 
great,  even  to  cardinal  Richelieu';  and,  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  cardinal  Mazarin,  be  obtained  a  pension* 
ef  2000  litres.  Richelieu  is  said  at  first  to.  have  admitted 
him  to  his  most  secret  councils?  and  to  have  consulted  him 
about  matters  of  the  greatest  importance ;  hot  during  tbe 
greater  part  of  his  life,  he  appears  to  have  gained  most} 
feme  by  his  astrological  predictions,  which,  right  or  wrong, 
were  suited  to  the  credulity  of  the  times.  He  died  at? 
Paris,  Nov.  6,  1656.  He  wrote  a. great  number  of  books, 
not  forgotten ;  but  did  not  live  ta>  publish  his  favourite? 
performance,  his  "  Astrofogkt  Gallica,"  which  had*  cos* 
him  thirty  years*'  labour.  It  was  pointed,  however^  at  the 
Hague,  1661,  in  folio,  with  two  epistles  dedicatory  ;  the 
•ae  from  the  author  to  Jesus  Christ;  the  othep  addressed 
to  Louisa  Maria  de<  Gowzaga,  queen  of!  Poland.  That 
princess  encouraged  Mbrin  to  undertake  this  great  work,' 
and  paid  tbe  charges  of  the  impression.  At  the  tame  whe» 
it  was  said  that  she  wa.4  to  be  married  to*  the  prince,  Morin 
affirmed,  that  that  marriage  should  never  take  place,  and 
that  she  was  destined  to  the  bed-  of  a  monarch-;  and  it  \* 
thought  th$t  she  the  more  readily  engaged  to  bear  tha  ex-. 
pences  of  a  work  whose  author  had  flattered  her  with  the 
hopes  of  a  crown,  which  she  afterwards  wore.  Of  bis 
"  Astrologia  Gallica,"    Guy  Patin  says,    "I  understand, 


M  O  R  I  n.  m 

that  the  '  Astrttlogia  Gallic*'  of  the  steur  Mofin  is  at  last 
finished  at  the  Hague.  I  atn  told,  that  it  abuse*  the  Pari- 
sian and  other  physicians,  who  give  no  credit  to  judicial 
astrology;  atid  I  do  nor  wonder,  that  the  author  should' 
behave  in  tbi*  manner,  for  he  was  a  fool.  The  book  te 
printed  in  one  volume,  folio,  The  qtiefcn  of  PalAtod  gate 
2000  crowns  t$  carry  on  the  edition;  at  the  recommendation 
of  one  of  her  secretaries,  who  is  a  lover  of  astrblogy.  You- 
see  in  what  manner  drowned  heads  are  imposed  upon.  If  it 
had  been  a  book  which  might  have  been  of  use  to  the  public, 
the  author  would  ndt  have  found  one,  either  to  print  it,  of  to 
bear  the  charges  of  the  press.1'  Morin,  however",  received 
several  testimonies  of  esteem  from  the  great  Des  Cartes. 
He  became  acquainted  with  this  philosopher  in  1626, 
and,'  some  time  after,  made  him  a  present  of  his  book 
upon  the  longitude,  which  was  acknowledged  by  a  very 
obliging  letter.  He  sent  him  also,  in  1638,  some  objec- 
tions to  his  "  Theory  of  Light,*  which  Dei  Cartes  thought 
worthy  of  his  consideration! , 

MORIN  (John),  a  learned  ecclesiastic,  was  born  at 
Blois,  of  protestant  parents,  in  1591.  He  was  instructed 
in  the  belles  lettres  at  Rochelle,  and  afterwards  went  to 
Leyden*  where  he  attained  a  critical  knowledge  of  the 
Greek,  Latin,  and  Oriental  tongues,  arid  applied  himself 
to  philosophy,  law,  mathematics,  and  divinity.  Return- 
ing to  France,  he  went  to  settle  at  Parisj  where  he  gained' 
an  acquaintance  with  cardinal  du  Perron,  and  was  induced 
by  him  to  embrace  the  Roman  catholic  religion,  Some 
time  after,  he  entered  into  the  congregation  of  the  oratory, 
lately  established,  and  began  to  make  himself  known  by 
his  learning  and  his  works.  In  1626  he  published  some 
"  Exercitatiqns  upon  the  original  of  Patriarchs  and  Pri» 
mates,  and  the  ancient  usage  of  ecclesiastical  censures,' 
dedicated  to  pope  Urban  VIII."  He  undertook,  in  1628, 
the  edition  of  the  "  Septuagtnt  Bible,"  with  the  version 
made  by  Nobilius ;  and  put  a  preface  to  it,  in  which  he: 
treats  of  the  authority  of  the  Septuagint;  commends  the 
edition  of  it  that  had  been  made  at  Rome  by  order  of 
Sixtus  V.  in  1587,  which  he  had  followed  ;  and  maintains, 
(hat  we  ought  to  prefer  this  version  to  the  present  Hebrew1 
text;  because  this  has  been,  he  says,  corrupted  by  the 

>  G«n.  Dict-i-Xiceroo,  to!,  llI.^Moreri.— Life  t^eAxed  to  hit •«*  Aslrolofia 
Oalli<».» 

Vol.  XXII  Dd 


402  MORI  N. 

Jews.     Before  this  work  was  ready  to  appear,  he  gar e  the 
public,  in  1629,  a  "  History ,"  written  in  French,,  of  the* 
deliverance  of  the  church  by  the  emperor  Constantine, 
and  of  the  greatness  and  temporal  sovereignty  conferred 
on  the  Roman  church  by  the  kings  of  France;  but  this, 
performance  was  not  well  received  at  Rome,  and  Morin 
was  obliged  to  promise  that  he  would  alter  and  correct  it 
He  published,  soon  after,  "  Exercitations  upon  the  Sama- 
ritan Pentateuch ;"  for  the  sake  of  establishing  which,  he 
attacks  the  integrity  of  the  Hebrew  text.    The  Polyglott 
being  then  printing  at  Paris,  Morin  took  upon  himself  the 
care  of  the  Samaritan  Pentateuch;  but  his  endeavours  to 
exalt  this,  together  with  the  Greek  and  Latin  versions  of 
the  Bible,  at  the  expence  of  the  Hebrew,  made  him  very 
obnoxious  to  some  learned  men ;  and  he  was  attacked  by 
Hottinger  and  Buxtorf  in  particular.     This,  however,  en- 
hanced his  merit  at  the  court  of  Rome ;  and  cardinal  Bar- 
berini  invited  him  thither,  by  order  of  the  pope,  who  re- 
ceived him  very  graciously,  and  intended  to  employ  him 
in  the  re-union  of  the  Greek  to  the  Roman  church,  which 
was  then  in  agitation.     He  was  greatly  caressed  at  Rome, 
and  intimate  with  Lucas  Holstenius,  LeoAllatius,  and  all 
the  learned  there.     After  having  continued  nine  years  at 
Rome,  he  was  recalled,  by  order  of  cardinal  Richelieu,  to 
France,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  learned 
labours,  and  died  of  an  apoplexy  at  Paris,  Feb.  2$,  1659. 
His  works  are  very  numerous,  and  some  of  them  much 
valued  by  protestants  as  well  as  papists,  on  account  of  the 
Oriental  learning  contained  in  them.     Father  Simon  has 
given  us,  under  the  title  of  "  Antiquitates  Ecclesiae  Orien- 
talis,"  a  collection  of  letters  to  and  from  Morin,  which 
were  found  among  the  papers  of  father  Amelot ;  and  caused 
them  to  be  printed  at  London  in  1682,  with  the  life  of 
Morin,  of  which  he  himself  is  supposed  to  be  the  author. 
These  letters  contain  many  curious  particulars  relating  to 
criticism  and  history,  and  are  full  of  Oriental  erudition. 1 
.    MORIN  (Lewis),  a  French  physician  and  botanist,  of 
singular  character,  was  born  at  Mans,  July  11,  1635,  of 
parents  eminent  for  their  piety,  who,  although  he  was  one 
of  a  numerous  family  of  sixteen  children,  omitted  nothing 
in  his  education  which  their  fortune  could  supply.    Botany 

t  V  Dupin. — Morer i.— Niceroo,  vol*  IX.  and  X. — Petrault'g  Let  Bommei  II- 

lustres.— Saxii  Onoraast. 


M  0  R  I  N.  403 

was  the  study  that  appeared  to  have  taken  possession  of  his 
inclinations,  as  soon  as  the  bent  of  his  genias  could  be 
discovered.  A  country  person  who  supplied  the  apo- 
thecaries of  the  place,  was  his  first  master,  and  was  paid 
by  him  for  his  instructions  with  the  little  money  that  he 
could  procure,  but  he  soon  made  himself  master  of  all  this 
-man  knew,  and  was-  obliged  to  enlarge  his  acquaintance 
with  plants,  by  observing  them  himself  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Marts.  Having  finished  his  grammatical  studies, 
he  travelled  on  foot  to  Paris,  and  after  going  through  the 
usual  course  of  philosophy,  was  determined,  by  his  love 
t>f  botany,  to  the  profession  of  physic.  From  this  time  he 
engaged  in  a  course  of  life,  which  was  never  exceeded 
^feither  by  the  ostentation  of  a  philosopher,  or  the  severity 
•taf  ati  anchoret,  for  he  confined  himself  to  bread  and  water, 
-and  at  most  allowed  himself  no  indulgence  'beyond  fruits. 
This  regimen,  extraordinary  as  it  was,  had  many  advan- 
tages ;  it  preserved  his  health  ;  it  gave  him  an  authority  to 
preach  diet  and  abstinence  to  his  patients;  and  it  made 
him  rich  without  the  assistance  of  fortune. 

In  1662  he  was  admitted  doctor  of  physic.  About  that 
time  Drs.  Fagon,  Longuet,  and  Galois,  all  eminent  for 
their  skill  in  botany,  were  employed  in  drawing  up  a  cata- 
logue of  the  plants  in  the  royal  garden,  which  was  pub- 
lished in  1665,  under  the  name  of  Dr.  Vallot,  then  first 
physician.  During  the  prosecution  of  this  work,  Dr.  Mo- 
trin was  often  consulted,  and  from  these  conversations  it 
was  that  Dr.  Fagon  conceived  a  particular  esteem,  which 
he  always  continued  to  retain,  for  him.  After  having  prac- 
tised some  years,  he  was  admitted  expectant,  and  after- 
wards pensionary  physician  at  the  Hotel  Dieu ;  but  this 
advancement  added  nothing  to  his  condition,  except  the 
power  of  more  extensive  charity ;  for  all  the  taoney  which 
-he  received  as  a  salary,  he  put  into  the  chest  of  the  hos- 
pital, and  always,  as  he  imagined,  without  being  observed. 
His  reputation  rose  so  high  at  Paris,  that  mademoiselle  de 
Guise  was  desirous  to  make  him  her  physician,  but  it  was 
•not  without  difficulty  that  he  was  prevailed  upon  by  bis 
friend,   Dr.  Dodart,  ttf  accept  the  place. 

By  this  new  advancement  he  was  laid  under  the  neces- 
sity-of  keeping  a  chariot,  an  equipage  very  unsuitable  to 
his  temper ;,  but  while  he  complied  with  those  exterior  ap- 
pearances which  the  public  demanded,  he  remitted  nothing 
of  his  former  austerity  in  bis  private  life.     In  twp  years  and 

D  D  2 


404  MORIN. 

» 

a  half  the  princess  fell  sick,  and  was  despaired  of  by  Mono,, 
who  was  a  great  master  of  prognostics.  At  the  time  when 
she  thought  herself  in  no  danger,  he  pronounced  her  death 
inevitable ;  a  declaration  which  was  made  {uore  easy  to  bin* 
than  to  any  other  by  bis,  pi#ty  and  artless  simplicity.  The 
princess,  affected  by  bis  zeal,  taking  a  ring  from  her  finger, 
gave  it  him  as  the  Last  pledge  of  her  affection,  and  re- 
warded him  still  more  to  bis  satisfaction,  by  preparing  for 
death  with  true  Christian  piety.  She  left  him  also  by  will 
a  yearly  pension  of  2000  livres.  On  the  princess's  death 
he  laid  down  bis  chariot,  and  retired  to  St.  Victor,,  without 
a  servant,  having,  however,  augmented  bis  d^ily  allow- 
ance with  a  little  rice  boiled  in  water. 

In  1699,  on  the  restoration  of  the  academy,  Dodari 
procured  him  to  be  nominated  associate  botanist.  He  was 
constant  at  the  assemblies  of  the  academy,  notwithst^ndr 
ing  the  distance  of  places,  while  he  had  strength  enough  to 
support  the  journey;  but  his  regimen  was  not  equally 
effectual  to  produce  vigour  as  to  prevent  distempers  ;  and 
being  sixty-four  years  of  age  at  his  admission,  he  could 
not  continue  bis  assiduity  more  than  a  year  ^fter  the 
death  of  Dodart,  whom  he  succeeded  as  pensionary  ntem* 
ber  of  the  academy  in  1707.  When  Tournefort  went  to 
pursue  his  botanical  inquiries  in  the  Levant,  he;  desired 
Dr.  Morin  to  supply  his  place  of  demonstrator  of  the  plants 
in  the  royal  garden,  and  rewarded  him  for  the  trquble  by 
inscribing  to  bim  a  new  plant  which  he  brought  from  the 
East,  by  the  name  of  Morinaoritntalis. 

Dr.  Morin  advancing  far  in  age,  was  now  forced  to  take 
a  servant,  and,  what  was  yet  a  more  essential  alteration, 
prevailed  upon  himself  to  take  an  ounce  of  wine  a-day, 
which  he  measured  with  the  same  exactness  as  a  medicine 
bordering  upon  poison.  He  quitted  .at  the  same  tifiie  all 
his  practice  in  the  city,  and  con6ned  it  to  the  poor  of  his 
neighbourhood,  and  bis  visits  at  the  Jlotel  Dieu ;  but  his 
weakness  increasing,  be  was  forced  to  increase  his  quan- 
tity of  wine,  which  yet  he  always  continued  to  adjust  by 
weight.  At  the  age  of  seven ty-jeight  he  scarcely  left  bis 
bed,  but  his  intellects  continued  unimpaired,  except  ie 
the  last  six  months  of  his  life.  He  died  March  I,  1714, 
aged  eighty,  without  any  distemper,  having  enjoyed,  by 
the  benefit  of  his  regimen,  a  long  and  bealtby  life,  and  a 
gentle  and  easy  death. 

This  extraordinary  regimen  was  but  part  of  the  dtily 


M  6  R  I  K.  405 

regulation  of  his  life,  of  which  all  the  offices  were  carried 
on  with  the  utmost  regularity  and  exactness.  He'  went  to 
bed  at  seven,  and  rose  at  two,  throughout  the  year.  He 
spent  in  the  morning  three  hours  at  his  devotions,  and 
went  to  the  Hotel  Dreu  in  the  summer  between  five  and 
six,  and  in  the  winter  between  sis  and  seven,  hearing  mass 
for  the  most  part  at  Notre  Dame.  After  his  return  he  read 
the  holy  scripture,  dined  at  eleven,  and  when  it  was  fair 
weather  walked  till  two  in  the  royal  garden,  where  he 
examined  the  new  plants,  and  gratified  his  earliest  and 
strongest  passion.  For  the  remaining  part  of  the  day,  if 
he  had  no  poor  to  visit,  he  shut  himself  up,  and  read 
books  of  literature,  or  physic.  This  likewise  was  the  time 
lie  received  visits,  if  any  were  paid  him,  but  with  respect 
to  visits,  he  often  said,  "  Those  that  come  to  see  me  do 
me  honour ;  and  those  that  stay  away  do  me  a  favour.1'  He 
left  behind  him  no  other  property  than  a  library,  valued  at 
nearly  20,000  crowns,  a  herbal,  and  a  collection  of  medals. 
He  published  two  papers  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Academy ; 
one,  containing  an  hypothesis  respecting  the  passage  of 
the  drink  to  the  bladder,  which  shows  him  a  very  indif- 
ferent physiologist;  and  the  other,  a  "  Memoire  sur  les 
Eaux  de  Forges;"  Among  his  papers  were  a  very  minute 
index  to  Hippocrates,  Greek  and  Latin  ;  and  a  meteorolo- 
gical journal  of  more  than  forty  years.  The  method  of  this 
is  commodious  and  concise,  and  it  exhibits,  in  a  little 
r6om,  a  great  train  of  curious  observations,  which  would 
have  escaped- a  man  less  uniform  in  his  life. l 

MORIN  (Peter),  a  learned  critic,  was  born  in  1531,  at 
Paris.  His  taste  for  the  belles  lettres  induced  him  to  visit 
Italy,  where  Paul  "Manutius  employed  him  in  his  printing- 
office  at  Venice.  He  afterwards  taught  Greek  and  cos- 
mography at  Vieenza,  but  Was  called  from  thence  by  the 
duke  of  Ferrara,  in  1555.  Morin  at  length  acquired  the 
esteem  of  St.  Charles  Boromeo,  and  pope  Gregory  XIII. 
and  Sixtuft  V.  engaged  him  in  the  edition  of  the  Greek 
Bible  of  the  LXX.  1587,  the  Latin  translation  is  1588,  fol. 
and  in  the  edition  of  the  Vulgate,  1590,  fol.  He  died  in 
1608.  He  was  well  acquainted  with. the  belles  lettres  and 
languages,  and  has  left  among  his  works  published  by 
Quetif  in  1675,  an  excellent  treatise  on  the  proper  use  of 

1  From  his  eloge  by  Fontenelle,  one  of  those  selected  and  translated  by  Dr. 
Johnson  for  the  Gent.  Ma*,  of  1741.—  Eloy,  Diet.  Hist,  de  Medicine. 


406  M  ORIN. 

the  sciences,  of  which  Dupin  has  given  a  long  analysis,  us: 
well  as  of  his  other  works,  and  bestows  great  praise  on  his 
extensive  knowledge  of  languages  and  ecclesiastical  history.1* 
MORIN  (Stephen),  a  learned  French  protectant,  was. 
the  son  of  Isaac  Morin,  a  merchant  of  Caen,  and  bpro  in> 
that  oity,  Jan.  1,  1625.     Losing  his  father  at  three  years 
of  age,  his  mother  designed  him  for  trade;  but  his  taste 
for  learning  beginning  to  show  itself  very  early,  she  de- 
termined to  give  him. a  liberal  education.     Accordingly  he 
studied  the  classics  and  philosophy  at  Caen,  and  then  re*, 
njoved  to  Sedan,  to  study  theology  under  Peter  du  Mou- 
lin, who  conceived  a  great  friendship  for  him.     He  after- 
wards pursued  the  same  studies  under  Andrew  Rivet,  and 
made  a  great  proficiency  in  the  Oriental  languages  undtr 
Golius.     Returning  to  his  country  in  1649,  he  became  a* 
minister  of  two  churches  in  the  neighbourhpod  of  Caeri, 
where  he  was  much  distinguished  by  his  uncommon  parts, 
and  learning,  and  had  several  advantageous  offers  made 
him  from  other  countries,  but  be  preferred  his  own.     In 
1664,  he  was  chosen  minister  of  Caen;  and  bis  merits  soon 
connected  him  in  friendship  with  Huetius,  Segrais,  Bo- 
chart,  and  other  learned  townsmen.     The  revocation  of 
the  edict  of  Nanus,  in  1685,  obliging  him  to  quit  Caen,  hie 
retired  with  his  wife  and  three  children  to  Leyden,  but 
soon  after  was  called  to  Amsterdam,  to  be  professor  of  the 
Oriental  tongues  in  the  university  there ;  to  which  employ- 
ment was  joined,  two  years  after,  that  of  minister  in  or- 
dinary.    He  died,  after  a  long  indisposition  both  of  body 
and  mind,  May  5,  170.0. 

He  was  the  author  of  several  works;  as,  1.  "Disserta* 
tipnes  octo,  in  quibus  .multa  sacra  et  profanes  Antiquitatis 
Monumenta  explicantur,"  Genev.  1683,  8vo.  A  second 
edition,  enlarged  and  corrected,  was  printed  at  Dort,  li 00, 
in  8vo.  2.  "  Oratio  inauguralis  de  Linguarum  Orienta- 
lium  ad  iptelligentiam  Sacrae  Scripture  militate,7'  L.  Bat. 
1686.  This  was  reprinted  with,  3.  "  Explanations  sacra 
et  philologies  in  aliquot  V.  et  N.  Testamenti  Loca,"  L. 
Bat.  1698,  8vo.  4.  "  Exercitationes  de  Lingua  prkpjBva 
ej usque  Appendicibus,"  Ultraj.  1694,  4to.  5.  "  Disserta* 
tio.  de  Paradiso  terrestri ;"  printed  in  Bochart's  works,  the 
third  edition  of  which  was  published  at  Utrecht  in  1692, 
yvith  Bochart's  life  by  Morin  prefixed.     6.  "  Epistolse  du® 

1  Dnpin.— Niceroa,  vol.  XV.— Moireri. 


MORI  N.  40? 

seu  Responsiones  ad  Ant.  Van.  Dale  de  Pentateucho  Sa* 
maritano ;"  printed  with  Van  Dale's  "  De  Origine  et  Pro^ 
gressu  Idololatrise,"  Amst.  1696,  4to.  7.  "  Lettre  sur 
rOrigine  de  la  Langue  H6braTque,"  with  an  answer  of 
Huetius ;  printed  in  the  first  volume  of  "  Dissertations  sur 
diverses  Matieres  de  Religion  et  de  Philologie,  recueillies 
par  M.  PAbb6  de  Tilladet,"  Paris,  1712,  12mo.  Moriri 
endeavours  to  prove  in  this  letter,  that  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage is  as  old  as  the  creation,  and  that  God  himself  in- 
spired it  into  Adam.  His  great  fondness  for  this  language 
made  him  run  into  some  extravagant  notions  about  it,  as 
Huetius  tells  him  in  his  answer.  Lastly,  Morin  prefixed  a 
"  Life  of  Jacobus  Palmerius*'  to  the  "Greece  antique  De- 
csriptio,"  Leyden,  1678,  4to.  His  son,  Henry,  who  died 
at  Caen  in  1728,  aged  seventy- three,  was  a  member  of  the 
academy  of  inscriptions  and  belles  lettres  at  Paris;  and 
there  are  several  dissertations  of  his  in  the  "  Memoirs  of 
this  Academy." l 

MORISON^  Fines.    See  MORYSON. 

MORISON,  Richard.    See  MORYSINE. 

MORISON  (Robert),  a  distinguished  botanist  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  was  born  at  Aberdeen  in  1620.  Being 
designed  for  the  church,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study 
of  mathematics  in  that  university  ;  but  was  diverted  from 
such  pursuits  by  a  taste  for  physic,  and  especially  botany, 
which,  however,  was  interrupted,  for  a  time  at  least,  by 
his  loyalty,  which  induced  him  to  become  a  soldier  in  the 
service  of  king  Charles.  After  receiving  a  dangerous 
wound  in  the  head,  in  the  battle  near  the  bridge  of  Dee, 
about  two  miles  from  Aberdeen,  which  for  a  while  disabled 
him,  he  retired,  like  many  of  his  countrymen  after  the  ruin 
of  the  royal  cause,  to  Paris.  Here  he  became  tutor  to  a 
young  man  of  some  fortune,  while  he  sedulously  cultivated 
the  studies  necessary  for  his  profession,  and  took  the  degree 
of  doctor  of  physic  at  Angers,  in  1648.  Botany,  however, 
was  still  his  favourite  pursuit ;  and  by  means  of  M.  Robin,; 
who  had  then  the  care  of  the  royal  garden  at  Paris,'  he  ac- 
quired the  patronage  of  Gaston,  duke  of  Orleans,  and  was 
entrusted  with  the  care  of  that  prince's  garden  at  Blois, 
accompanied  by  a  handsome  salary.  He  held  this  charge 
from  1650  to  1660,  when  the  duke  died;  During  that 
period  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  theoretical  as. 

1  Niceron,    to!.  II.— Morari,  791, 


49* 


MO  R  J  S  O  N. 


well  as  practical  botany,  fte  began  to  plan  a  syate*,  on 
the  subject  of  which  hip  royal  p^rpn  is  reported  to  have 
delighted  to  confer  with  him.  Be  was  also  dispatched  on 
qjsveral  botanical  expeditions,  to  various  parts  of  France, 
for  the  purpose  of  enriching  tb$  garden.  A  catalogue  of 
this  garden  was  printed  in  1653,  by  Abel  Brunyer,  phy- 
sician to  the  duke ;  of  which  Morison  afterwards  published 
$t  London,  in  1669,  a  new  and  enlarged  edition,  accom- 
panied by  a  regular  and  professed  criticism  of  the :  works  of 
Caspar  and  John  Bauhin,  which  Hfller  has,  blamed  more 
than  jt  de$erye?.  Morison  gives  to  these  great  men  all  the 
rank  and  honour  which  their  eminent  learning  and  industry 
deserve ;  and  while  he  poinds  out  their  .mistakes  or  imper- 
fections, he  .expresses  a  wish  to  have  his  own  likewise 
pointed  out.  The  "  Hortus  Blesensis"  is  disposed  in  al- 
phabetical order,  and  accompanied  by  a  double,  dedication, 
to  king  Charles  II.  and  James  duke  of  York,  to  whom  its 
author  had  become  known  in  France.  On  tli#  restoration 
he  refused  the  most  liberal  offers  to  settle  in  £ea*ce9  and 
on  his  arrival  in  London  received  t^e  tides  of  king's  phy- 
sician, and  royal  processor  qf  bo^ny*  with, a  paltry  of  200/. 
a  year,  and  a  bouse,  as  superinjendanjt  of  the  royal  gardens. 
He  was  a^so  elected  a  fellow  qf  the  college  of{  physicans. 

In  1669  he  received  his  doctor's  ^egre^  from  the  univer- 
sity of  Oxford,  and, was,  Dec.  16,  appoiptetd  botanical 
professor  or  more  properly,  keeper  of  the  physic  garden, 
in  consequence  of  which  be  gajve  4  couyse  of  lecture*  there 
for  some  years  *.  He  bad  been  for  some  time  meditating 
a  great  universal  w,ork  on  botany, ,  and  published  an  excel- 
lent specimen  in  1672,  containing  a  methodical  arrange- 
ment of  .umbelliferous  plants,  in  folio,  accompanied  with 
plates.  He  takes  the  leading  character?  of ,  these  plants 
from  the  seeds,  but  admits  under  the  same  d^now^pation  a 
tribe  totally  different,  which  is  surely  as  great  an  error  as 
any  he  had  detected  in  the  Bauhins.  In  1674,  he  edited 
at  Oxford  a  thin  4to,  from  the  MSS.  of  Boccone^  <$escrib? 
ing  a  number  of  new  plants  from  Sicily,  Malta,  France, 
and  Italy,  with  52  plates,  which  are  in  general  very  <ex* 


'  *  Wood  tells  us  that  "  he  made  his 
entrance  on  this  lecture  in  the  .medi- 
cine school,  Sept.  2,  1670,  and  the  3th 
of  the  same  mouth  translated  himself 
to  the  physic  garden,  where  he  read  in 
the  middle  of  it,  with  a  table  before 
him,  on  herbs  and  plants,   thrice  a 


week  for  five  weeks  space,  not  without 
a  considerable  auditory."  He  it,  how- 
ever, improperly  styled  professor,  m$ 
the  professorship  was  not  founded  un- 
til SherarcPs  time,  -who  appointed  DiU 
lenius  first  professor  on  his  founda- 
tion in  1728* 


MORISON.  409 

prewve,  and  many  of  the  plants  are  no  inhere  fclse  repre- 
sented^ His  great  work,  "  Plantarum  htstoria  universalis*. 
Oxoniensis,"  appeared  in  1680,  foL  comprizing  five  sec- 
tions of  herbaceous  plaits,  with  numerous  plates.  This 
was  called  the  second  pan  of  the  work,  the  first,  consist" 
iog  of  trees  and  shrubs,  having  been  postponed,  as  the 
most  easily  to  be. finished  at  any  time;  but  it  never  ap- 
peared *.  In  1699,  long  after  the  author's  death,  Jacob 
Bobart  published  a  second  volume,  called  the  third  past, 
vJiieh  concludes  the  system,  as  far  as  regards  herbaceous 
plants*  The  editor  of  the  volume,  in  which  there  are 
maiiy  inaccuracies,  claims,  for  the  author  great  honour 
as  the :  inventor  of  a  system.  The  outlines,  however, 
of  Morison' s.  system  are  evidently  to  be  traced  in  the  work 
of  Csesalpinus,  published  in  158  3,  and  in  that  of  Conrad 
Geaner,  and  it  as  the  opinion  of  sir  J.  E.  Smith,  whom  we 
principally  follow,  that  where  he  deviates  from  these  writers, 
be  iras  mjured  his  own  system*  This  great  work  could 
scareely  have  been  published  at  the  efcpence  of  a  private 
individual,  had  he  not  been  liberally  assisted  by  the  con- 
tributions of  his  opulent  Oxford  friends,  who  took  a  pa- 
triotic interest  in  the  performance.  The  original  speci- 
mens, such  at  least  as  refer  to  Bobart' s  share  of  the  under- 
taking, are  still  preserved,  and  serve  to  remove  every 
difficulty  in  case  of  an  incomplete  description  .or  figure* 
Such  assistance  is  very  requisite,  as  to  the  cryptogamio 
part  of  the  work,  though  authors  have  much  commended 
those  plates. 

The  labours  and  studies  of  Morison  were  cut  short  by  an 
accidental  death,  similar  to  that  of  Tournefort,  but  more 
immediate.  He  received  an  injury  from  the  pole  of  a 
coach,  in  crossing  one  of  the  London  streets,  Nov.  9,1683, 
and  died  next  day,  at  bis  house  in  Green-street,  Leicester* 
square,  aged  sixty-three.  He  was  buried  in  the  neighbour- 
ing church  of  St.  Martin's-in-the,  Fields.  A  portrait  pre* 
fixed  to  the  posthumous  volume,  indicates  Morison  to  have 
been,  as  Bobart  describes  bim,  a  man  of  a  healthy  bodily 
frame,  and  of  plain  and  open  manners.  He  is  recorded  as 
having  cultivated  science  for  its  own  sake,  with  much  less 
regard  to  his  personal  emolument  than  to  the  public  good, 
a  sordid  love  of  gain  having  made  no  part  of  bis  character.1 

*  According  to  a  MS  note    in   our.     wards  finished^,  but  the  whole  consumed 
copy  of  Granger,  this  first  was  after-     by  an  accidental  fire  at  Oxford. 

1  B«ei>ft  Cyclopaedia,  by  Sir  J.  E.  Smith.— Pulteney's  Sketches.— Ath.  Ox.  vol.  II. 


410  M  0  R  L  A  N  D. 

•  MORLAND  (George),  an  eminent  biit  very  unhappy 
artist,  was  born  in  1764.  He  was  the  pupil  of  his  father 
Henry  Robert  Morland,  an  indifferent  painter  of  portraits, 
and  subjects  of  domestic  life,  whom  he  very  soon  sur- 
passed. This  perhaps  was  at  first  his  misfortune,  for  the 
father,  finding  what  advantage  be  might  reap  from  bis 
talents,  confined  him  to  such  work  as  might  be  readily 
brought  to  market,  without  endeavouring  to  give  him  any 
part  of  that  education  or  polish  which  would  have  enabled 
him  to  appear  with  credit  in  society.  The  consequence  of 
this  was,  that  when  patrons  appeared  they  found  him  way- 
ward, dissipated,  and  irreclaimable.  Low  habits  and  low 
company  early  got  possession  of  his  affections,  and  all 
means  to  recommend  (Economy,  decency,  and  regularity,' 
were  employed  in  vain.  At  length  his  father  was  advised 
to  send  young  Morland  to  Margate  to  paint  small  por- 
traits ;  and  although  this  scheme  did  not  produce  all  the 
effect  expected,  it  made  him  more  known,  and  he  becatrie 
independent  of  his  father,  and  could  now  pursue  his  art: 
when  he  pleased,  and  for  his  own  emolument.  -       *  • 

Success,  however,  made  no  difference  in  his  conduct, 
which  became  irregular  beyond  all  calculation  and  all 
powers  of  description  ;  and  while  the  vigour  of  his  genius 
and  the  soundness  of  his  judgment  never  forsook  him  in 
a  .picture,  they  scarcely  ever  accompanied  him  in  any 
other  employment,  action,  or  sentiment  of  his  life.  Ca- 
pable of  the  most  regular  and  profound  reflection  on  every 
thing  connected  with  his  art,  capable  even  of  the  clearest 
distinctions  of  moral  rectitude,  he  never  appears  to  have 
dedicated  a  single  leisure  hour  to  sober  conversation  or 
innocent  pleasantry,  to  any  of  the  endearing  intercourses 
of  domestic  or  social  life,  or  to  any  rational  purpose  what- 
ever. He  is  generally  acknowledged  to  have  spent  all  the- 
time  in  which  he  did  not  paint,  in  drinking,  and  in  the 
meanest  dissipations,  with  persons  the  most  eminent  be 
could  select  for  ignorance  or  brutality;  and  a  rabble  of 
carters,  hostlers,  butchers9- men,  smugglers,  poachers,  and 
postilions,1  were  constantly  in  his  company  and  frequently 
in  his  pay.  He  was  found,  at  one  time,  we  are  told,  in  a 
lodging  at  Somers-tawn,  in  the  following  most  extraordi- 
nary circumstances :  his  infant  child,  that  had  been  dead 
nearly  three  weeks,  lay  in  its  coffin  in  one  corner  of  the 
room ;  an  ass  and  foal  stood  munching  barley-straw  out  of 
the  cradle  ;  a  sow  and  pigs  were  solacing  in  the  recess  of 


M  O  R  L  A  N  D.  411 

an  old  cupboard ;  and  himself  whistling  over  a  beautiful 
picture  that  he  was  finishing  at  his  easel,  with  a  bottle  of 
gin  hung  up  on  one  side,  and  a  live  mouse  sitting  (or  ra- 
ther, kicking)  for  his  portrait,  on  the  other! 

Of  his  particular  merits  in  imitative  art,  it  may  be  ob- 
served that  he  was  the  first  (or  at  least,  among  our  coun- 
trymen, by  far  the  most  eminent)  of  those  who  have  given 
the  true  spirit  and  character  of  our  great  palladium — the 
British  Oak ;  as  well  as  the  form  and  action  of  all  our  most 
familiar,  animals,  in  all  their  subtleties  and  varieties :  nor 
does  he  appear  to  have  undertaken  any  subject  that  he  did 
not  treat  with  equal  success.     Among  his  other  rare  quali- 
fications, he  appears  to  have  been  thoroughly  and  impar- 
tially acquainted  with  the  complexion  and  bias  of  his  own 
genius  from  his  very  boyhood  ;  since,  after  that  period,  he 
is  never  found  "out  of  his  element."     No  sooner. had  he 
described  the  scrawls  and  daubings  of  puerility,  than,  an- 
ticipating his  future  success,  and  conscious  of  his  present 
powers,  he  retreated  in  silence  to  the  free  walks  of  Na- 
ture; contemplated  deepiy,  reasoned  accurately ,;  and  prac- 
tised diligently.     A  few  years  brought  him  back  to  public 
notice,  a  finished  painter  of  English  scenery,  nature,  sen- 
timents, and  manners ;  an  artist,  who,  having  sagaciously 
prescribed  the  limits  of  his  pursuits,  and  effected  what- 
ever, in  knowledge  or  in   practice,  was  essential  to  the 
purpose,  of  filling  up  those  limits,  had  now  nothing  more 
to  learn.     He  shrunk  from  no  difficulty,  for  his  choice  of 
subject  left  him  no  difficulty  to  encounter.     He  disdained 
nothing  that  was  natural  and  picturesque,  consistently  with 
that  decorum  which  he  has  inviolably  observed  in  all  his 
public  works.    He  would*  never  risk  truth,  but  would  rather 
give  20  guineas  to  have  a. cat  stolen  for  him,  than  presume 
to  paint  one  from  an  uncertain  remembrance.     He  some- 
times leaves  the  truth  unfinished,  but  never  violated.     He 
affected  hone  of  those  whimsies  that  are  for  ever  setting 
amateurs  by  the  ears  on  the  subject  of  colouring,  or  light 
and  shadow.:  His  characters  affect  no  graces  nor  anti-graces 
that  do  not  belong  to  them.     His  lights  and  shadows  are 
mild,  moderate,  and  diffusive.  •  The  whole  together  rests 
easy  upon  the  eye,  and  pleases  a  correct  taste  as  much  as 
it  would  had  it  surprised  a  vicious  one  more,.    His  choice 
is  always  good ;  for  he  chuses  that  in  which  there  is  no- 
thing essential  to  reject.    He  never  gives  us  too  much  of  a 
thing.     The  character  of  Morland,  therefore,  as  a  painter, 


/• 


411  M  Q  R  L  A  N  D. 

tppfcars  to  be  remarkably  equal  and  consistent.  His  pic- 
tures never  make  *  mistake— never,  insult  by  falsehood, 
disgust  by  affectation,  disappoint  by  error,  or  teize  by 
mystery.  His  early  productions  were  landscapes,  and  he 
painted  one  or  two  small  conversation-pieces;  but  his 
favourite  subjects  were  animfcls,  chiefly  of  the  domestic 
kind  —  horses,,  dogs,  pigs,  and  other  cattle,  which  be 
painted  in  a  very  masterly  manner.  At  the  Exhibition  of 
the  Royal  Academy,  in  1791,  he  produced  a  picture  repre- 
senting the  inside  of  a  stable,  with  horses  and  draymen, 
&c.  larger  than  a  half-length  canvas;  an  excellent  per- 
formance, and  perhaps  his  master-piece.    . 

.Edwards  observes,  that  "bis  low  and  vulgar  propensities 
led  him  into  society  little  calculated  to  improve  either  his 
toind  or  manners ;  that  he  readily  stooped  to  an  intimacy 
with  any  associates  with  whom  he  could  gratify  the  despi- 
cable ambition  of  being  at  the  head  of  his  company." 
"But,"  says  Fuseli,  "  it  is  surely  one  of  the  favourite  para- 
doxes of  the  age,  to  wonder  at  the  association  of  a  man's 
favourite  objects  of  amusement  with  his  favourite  objects 
of  study.  It  would  be  a  disgusting  idea,  were  it  a  possible 
one,  to.  suppose,  that  the  man  who,  with  congenial  satis- 
faction, spends  the  day  in  penciling,  to  a  degree  of  decep^ 
tion,  a  sow  amid  her  litter,  could  long  for  the  recreation 
of  elegant  society  in  the  evening :  or  can  it  be  wondered 
at,  if  he,  who  chooses  his  subjects  among  the  patrons  of 
a  pot-house  or  gin-shop,  the  inhabitants  of  a  stable  or  a 
hovel,  and  the  usual  victims  and  furniture  of  a  prison, 
should  court  the  first,  frequent  the  next,  or  paint  and 
perhaps  rot  in  a  jail  ?" 

•  By  this  unhappy  conduct,  steadily  pursued  for  many 
years,  he  ruined  his  constitution,  and  at  length  diminished 
his  powers,  and  sunk  himself  into  general  contempt.  He 
had  ho  society,  nor  did  he  wish  for  any  other  but  the  lowest 
of  those  beings  whose  only  enjoyment  is  gin  and  ribaldry, 
fcpd  from  which  he  was  taken,  a  short:  time  before  his 
death,  by  a  Marsbalsea  writ,  for  a  small  sum  of  money  t 
when  removed  to  a  place  of  confinement,  he  drank  a  large 
quantity  of  spirits,,  and  was  soon  afterwards  taken  itt.  The 
loan  in  whose. custody  he  was,  being  alarmed  at  his  situa- 
tion, applied,  to  several  of  his  friends  for  relief ;  but  that 
relief,  if  it  was  afforded,  came  too  late.  The  power*  of 
life  were  exhausted,  and  he  died,  Oct.  29,  1804,  before 
he  bad  attained  the  age  of  forty  years.     His  wife,  whose 


NORLAND.  413 

life  had  been  like  bis  own,    died  a  day  or  two  after 
him. l  % 

M  OR  LAND  (Sir  Samuel,  Bart.)  a  man  of  very  consi- 
derable celebrity  in,  his  day,  but  whose  history  has  been 
almost  totally  neglected  where  we  might  have  expected  an 
account  of  him  as  a  machinist,  wai*  the  son  of  the  rev. 
Thomas  Morland,    rector  of  Suihamstead  in  Berkshire, 
and  was  born  about  1625,    as  we  learn  from  one  of  his 
works,  dated  1695,  in  which  he  says  he:  had  then  passed 
the  seventieth  year  of  his  age.     He  was.  educated  at  Win- 
chester school,  whence  he  was  removed  to  Cambridge, 
and,  according  to  Cole,  to  Magdalen  college.     He  says 
hiqaself,  that,  after  passing  nine  or.  tea  years  at  the  univer- 
sity, be  wa$  solicited  by  some  friends  to  take  orders ;  buty 
.not  thinking  himself  "  fitly  qualified,"  he  devoted  his  time 
to  the  study  of  mathematics,  which  appears,  in  one  shape 
or  other,  to  have  been  his  first  and  last  pursuit,,  a  few 
years  only  of  the.  internal  being  employed  on  political  af- 
fairs.    That  be  was  thought  qualified  for  such,  appears  by 
bis  being  sent,  in  1653,  with  Wbhelock  and  a  retinue  of 
other  gentlemen,  on  the  famous  embassy  to  the  queen  of 
Sweden,  the  purpose  of.  which  was  to- conclude  an  offen- 
sive and  defensive. idliaoce  with  that  princess.     Of  their 
success  an  ample  account  may  be  seen  in  Whiteloeke's 
"Journal,"  published  in  1772  by  Dr.  Morton,  2  vols.  4to. 
In  thi3  yv^rk  we  are.  told  that  few  of  the  ambassador's  train 
were  rewarded  as.  they  expected.      Morland,    however, 
according  to  his  own  account,  was  recommended,  on  his 
return  in  1654,  as  an  assistant  to  secretary  Thurloe ;  and 
in  a  few  months  after  was  sent  by  Cromwell  to,  the  duke 
of  Savoy  on  that  business  which  first  brought  him*  into 
public  notice,  and  has  principally  conveyed  bis  name  to 
posterity. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1655,  an  account  arrived  in  Eng- 
land of  the  barbarous  cruelties  inflicted  on  the  protectants* 
or  Walden$es,  by  the  duke  of  Savoy;  and,  as  Morland  in- 
forms us,  it  no  sooner  came  to  the  ears  of  Cromwell,. than 
he  "arose  like  a  lion;  out  of  his  place,"  and  by  the  most 
pathetic  appeals  to.  the.  protestant  princes  on  the  Conti- 
nent endeavoured  to  excite  their  pity  arid  interference* 
Miltot)  was  at  this  time  Cromwell's  Latin  secretary,  and 
drew  up  these  remonstrances  and  letters  with  uncommon 

rOent  Mag.  for  1804.— Life  by  BJagdo*.— E4waraV*  Supplement  t*  WaU 
p«lf,— -Piltinfjton,  by  Fui«Ji. 


414  M  O  R  L  A  N  D. 

spirit  and  elegance.  *  Never  indeed  did  Cromwell  or  his 
secretary  appear  in  a  more  becoming  light,  as  politicians. 
After-appointing  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  to  mark  the 
impression  these  massacres  had  made  upon  the  public  mind, 
Cromwell  issued  an  account  of  the  state  and  sufferings  of  the 
Waldenses,  and  solicited  the  contributions  of  the  benevo- 
lent towards  their  immediate  support.  This  he  began  with 
a  subscription  from  himself  of  2000/. ;  and  in  a  \ery  short 
time,  the  city  of  London  taking  the  lead,  the  sum  of 
-31,241/.  was  collected,  equivalent,  if  we  consider  the  dif- 
ference in  the  value  of  money,  to  the  highest  sum  ever 
.subscribed  for  any  charitable  purpose  in  our  own  days. 
But  that  more  effectual  measures  might  accompany  this 
testimony  of  good  will,  Mr.  Morland  received  immediate 
orders  to  set  off  with  a  message  from  the  English  govern- 
ment to  the  duke  of  Savoy,  beseeching  him  to  recall  his 
murderous  edicts,  and  restore  bis  subjects  to  their  homes 
and  liberties;  for  it  appears  that  all  who  had  escaped  being 
massacred  had  fled  to  the  mountains,  whence  they  sent 
agents  to  Cromwell  for  relief.  This  business  Mr.  Morland 
conducted  with  great  address;  and  although  he  did  not 
finally  prevail  in  securing  their  freedom  and  the  exercise 
of  their  religion  to  these  poor  people,  a  stop  at  least  was 
put  to  the  more  outrageous  acts  of  persecution.  Mr.  Mor- 
land. remained  for  some  time  at  Geneva,  as  the  English 
resident,  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  Waldenses  with  other 
foreign  ministers,  to  distribute  the  money  contributed  by 
the  English  nation,  and  also  to  prepare  minutes,  and  to 
procure  records,  vouchers,  and  attestations,  from  which  he 
might  compile  a  correct  history  of  the  Waldenses.  This 
was  a  suggestion  of  Thurloe's.  •     *. 

>  .  On  his  return  in  1658  he  received  the  thanks  of  a  select 
committee  appointed  by  Cromwell  to  inspect  into  his  transl- 
ations; and  a  minute,  highly  in  his  praise,  was  entered  on 
the  council  books.  Having  arranged  all  his  papers  and 
vouchers,  he  published  in  the  same  year,  in  one  volume 
folio,  "  The  History  of  the  Evangelical  Churches  of  the 
Valleys  of  Piedmont;  containing  a  most  exact  geogra- 
phical description  of  the  place,  and  a  faithful  account  of 
the  doctrine,  .life,  and  persecutions  of  the  ancient  inha- 
bitants. Together  with  a  most  naked  and  punctual  relation 
of  the  late  bloody  Massacre,  1655.  And  a  narrative  of  all 
the  following  transactions,  to  the  year  of  our  Lord  1658. 
All  which  are  justified,  partly  by  divers  ancient  mamt- 


MORLAN.D. 


415 


scripts  written  many  hundred  years  before  Calvin  or  Lu- 
tjher,  and  partly  by  the  most  authentic  attestations:  the 
true  originals  of  the  greatest  part  whereof  are  to  be  seen 
in  their  proper  languages  by  all  the  curious,  in  the  Public 
Library  of  the  famous  University  of  Cambridge."  These 
very  interesting  documents  of  ecclesiastical  history  are  il- 
lustrated, according  to  the  custom  of  the  times,  by  a  set 
of  prints  of  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  people ;  which,  says 
Warton,  "  operated  like  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs  V*  Pre- 
fixed is  a  fine  portrait  of  Morland,  engraved  by  Lombart, 
from  Lely ;  and  an  epistle  dedicatory  to  Cromwell,  in  a 
higher  strain  of  compliment  than  agrees  with  Morland's 
subsequent  opinion  of  the  usurper.  In  "  Hollis's  Memoirs" 
wp  are  told  that  Morland  afterwards  withdrew  this  dedica- 
tion from  as  many  copies  of  bis  book  as  he  could  see; 
This  may  be  true ;  but  of  many  copies  .which  we .  have 
seen  in .  libraries  and  shops,  we  have  never  met  with  one 
witboutit. 

Mr.  Morland  informs,  us  that  both  before  and  after  this 
publication,    particularly,  from  1641   to  16$6,  and  some 
years  after,  he  was  .admitted  into  the  most  intimate  affairs 
of  state,  and  bad  freguent  opportunities  of  taking,  a  clear 
vi^w  of  the   proceedings  of  Cromwell  and   his  agents. 
Among  other  intrigues,  he  tells  us  that  he  was  an  eye  and    - 
ear- witness  of  Dr.  He  wit's  being  trepanned  to  t  death  by. 
Thurloe.  and  his  , agents.     One  Dr.  Corker  was  sent  by 
Thurloe.  to, .Dr.  Hewit  to.  advise  him,  and  desjre  hifo,  on 
behalf  of  the  royalists,  to  send  to  Brussels  for  blank  com- 
missions from  Charles  II.  and  when  the  commissions  ar- 
rived, .  was  ordered .  to  request  that  he  might  be  employed- 
to  disperse  part  of  them  <in  several  counties,  and  keep  the 
rest  by.  him-    This  done,  Hewit  was  seized,  and  part  of 
the  commissions  being  found  upon  him,  he  was  condemned 
and  executed.     But  the  most  remarkable  plot  to  which  he 
was  privy,  was  that  usually  called  sir  Richard.  Willis's  plot. 
The  object  of  it  was  to  entrap  king  Charles  II.  and  his 
brothers  to  land  somewhere  in  Sussex,  under  pretence  of 
meeting  with  many  supporters,  and  to  put  them  to  death 
the  moment  they  landed.    This  plot  is  said  to  have  formed 
the  subject  of  a  conversation  between  Cromwell,  Thurloe, 
and  Willis,  at  Thurloe' s  office,'  and  was  overheard  by  Mor- 
land, who  pretended  to  Jbe  asleep  at  his  desk.     In  "  Wel- 

*  Not*  \>y  Mr.  Thomas  Warton  on  Milton'i  beautiful  sonnet  "On  the  late 
Massacre  in  Piedmont."    Milton's  Poems,  edit.  1785,  p.  357. 


416  If  O  R  h  A  N  D, 

wood's  Memoirs,"  it  is  said  that  when  Cromwell  discovered 
him, :  he  drew  his  poinard,  and  would  have  dispatched  htm 
on  the  spot,  if  Thurloe  had  not,  with  great  ihtreaties,  pre- 
vailed, on  him  to  desist,  assuring  him  that  Morland  had  s£t 
up  t<vo  nights  together,  and  was  certainly  asleep.  Mor- 
land himself  gives  a  somewhat  different  account  of  this  plot' 
than  what  appears  in  Echarcf,  and  i*  copied  in  the  life  of 
Thurloe  in  the  Biog.  Brit,  but  the  chief  circumstances  are 
the  same,  and  he  was  the  means  of  discovering  it  to  the 
king.  It  also  appears  to  have  alienated  him  from  the  party 
with  which  he  had  been  connected,  and  from*  this  time  he 
endeavoured  to  promote  the  restoration  by  every  means  in 
his  power,  for  which,  irr  **  Hollis*s  Memoirs,"  as  may  be 
expected  in  such  a  work,  he  is  termed  a  "  dextrous  hypo* 
crite*." 

Morland's  own  sentiments  we  shall  copy  nearly  literally : 
he  concludes  his  account  of  the  plot,  with  saying,  that  the 
horror  of  this  and  such  like  designs,  to  support  an  usurped' 
government*  and"  fearing  to  have  the  king's  blood  laid 
another  day,  in  for o  dioino,  to  bis  charge  (there  being  no 
person  but  myself,  and  the  contrivers,  and  the  chief  of 
those  who  were  to  act  it,  privy  to  it),  and  calling  to  re- 
membrance Mushai's  behaviour  towards  Absalom;  which  I 
found  not  at  all  blamed  in  holy  writ  (and  yet  his  was  * 
larger  step  than  mine,  I  having  never  taken  any  kind  of 
oath,  or  made  any  formal  promise  that  I  ever  remember  to 
any  of  those  governments).  As-  likewise  seriously  reflect- 
ing upon  those  oaths  of  supremacy  and  allegiance;  which 
I  had  taken  during  the  reign  of  Charles  I;  at  Winchester 
college,  I  took  at  last-  a  firm  resolution,  to  do  my  native 
prince  and  the  rightful  heir  of  the  crown,  all  the  service 
that  lay  in  my  power."  To  this  he' adds,  that  avkrice  could 
not  be  his  object,  as  he  was  at  this  time  living  in  greater 

*  In  a  short  letter  he  wrote  to  arch^  Henry's  wfcicb  might  have  bee*  pro* 

bishop   Tenison,  intended  as  a  post-  duced  against  hioi.'?     It  is  necessarr 

script  to  that  which  contains  the  ac~  to  add  here,  that  Harris,  in  his  life  of 

count  of  bis  life,  be  tells  his  grace  that  Charles  II.  speaks  of  the  above  ptot'at 

'*  when  he  discovered  the  conspiracy  to  undeserving  of  credit,aodtriuii}phaa^j 

Charles  IT.  it  was  upon  a  solemn  agreef-  produces  a  letter  from  sir  Samuel  to 

meat  that  he  should  not  be  required  to  sir  Richard  Willis,    dated  March  1, 

be  an  evidence  against  sfciy  of  them  16$0,  denying  the  wjbolf .    Where  Mr* 

who  should  be  tried  after  the  restora-  Harris  got  his  letter,  he  does  not  say. 

tion-~and  that*  when'  required  to  ap*  We  have  the  direct  testimony  of  sir 

pear  against  sir  Henry  Vane,  bectaimv  SamaeiVat  a  late  period  of  life)  dad 

ed  the  promise  made  to  him,  would  not  the  reader  may  compare  the  evidence, 

appear,  ajsd  burned  some  papers  of  sir  with  that  of  Clarendon,  &c. 


to  O  R  L  A  N  D.  417 

plenty  than  ever  he  did  after  the  restoration,  "having  a 
house  well  furnished,  an  establishment  of  servants,  a  coach, 
&c.  and  1000/.  a  year  to  support  all  this,  with  several  hun- 
dred pounds  of  ready  money,  and  a  beautiful  young  woman 
to  his  wife  for  a  companion."     All  this,  he  adds,  he  must 
hazard  in  serving  the  king;  but  be  preferred  bis  duty  and 
conscience,    and  accordingly   gave  such    information   a* 
saved  the  king's  life,  and  promoted  the  restoration.     For 
this  purpose  he  at  last  went  to  Breda,  and  made  his  disco- 
veries to  his  majesty,  who  acknowledged  the  value  of  his 
services,  with  many  liberal  promises  of  future  preferment*. 
These  promises,  Morland  tells  us,  were  not  fulfilled,  and 
he  supposes  that  the  chancellor  Hyde  was  his  er.etoy,  for 
what  reason  is  not  known ;  as  in  his  History,  Hyde  seems 
to  do  justice  to  Morland's  discoveries.     Morland,  however,' 
was  created  a  baronet  in  1660,  and  is  described  as  of  Sul- 
hamstead   Bannister,    although  it    does  not  appear  very 
clearly  whether  be  was  possessed  of  the  manor,  or  of  any 
considerable  property  in  the  parish.     He  was  also  made  a 
gentleman  of  the  privy- chamber;  but  this,  he  says,  was 
rather  expensive  than  profitable,  as  he  was  obliged  to  spend 
450/.  in  two  days  on  the  coronation.     He  got,. indeed,*  a 
pension  of  500/.  on  the  post- o flic e,  but  some  e m harass- 
ments  in  his  affairs  obliged  him  to  sell  it ;  and  after  this  he 
returned  to  his  mathematical  studies,  and  endeavoured  by 
various  experiments,  and  the  construction  of  machines,  to 
make  up  for  the  loss  of  that  more  certain  provision  he  had 
expected  from  the  new  government.  >  * 

Even  in  this,  however,  he  encountered  many  difficulties, 
owing  to  the  expensive  nature  of  some  of  his  experiments 
-  on  hydrostatics,  or  hydraulics.  These  experiments,  he 
says,  pleased  the  king's  fancy;  but  when  he  had  sp'ent 
500i  or  1000/.  upon  the ch,  he  received  sometimes  but  half 
and  sometimes  only  a  third  of  what  he  had  expended  ;  but 
it  would  appear,  that  at  length  he  got  some  pensions,  of 
what  value  be  does  not  say,  which  he  enjoyed  in.  1689,  the 

•  "  We  think  fit  to  relate  here,  as  a  part  of  the  intricate  plots  of  the  inter- 

*  thing  most  remarkable,  that  on  this  reign,  ami  likewise  the  perfidiousness 

•^  of  May,  Mr.  Morel  and,  chief  coon-  of  some  who  uw'd  him,  no  doubt,  the 

niissioner  under  Mr.  Thurloe,  who  was  greatest  fidelity   in   the  world;    The 

secretary  of  state  unto  Oliver  Crom-  king receivM  him  perfectly  well,  made' 

well,  his  chief  and  most  confident  mi-  him   knight/  and   rendered   him  this 

prefer  of  his  tyranny,  arrived  at  Breda;  public  testimony,  that  be  bad  received' 

where  he   brought  divers  letters  and  most  considerable  services  from  him 

notes  of  very  great  importance,  foras-  for  some  years  past."  '  Kennel's  Ray> 

much  as  the  king  discovered  there  a  gister,  p.  135. 

Vol.  XXII.  E  E 


418  MOHLA  N  D. 

time  when  he  wrote  an  -account  of  his  life  to  archbishop 
Tenison.  Two  years  before  the  death  of  Charles  II..  that 
sovereign  sent  him  to  France,  "  about  the  king's  water- 
works ;"  but  here  too  he  appears  to  have  lost  more  than 
be  gained.  On  his  return,  king  James  restored  to  him  bil 
pensions,  which  had  been,  for  whatever  reason,  withdrawn, 
aud  likewise  granted  him  the  arrears,  but  not  without  de* 
ducting  the  expences  of  the  engine  which  sir  Samuel  con- 
structed to  supply  Windsor  castle  with  water.  Water-en* 
gijoe*  of  various  sorts  employed  much  of  his  attention  and 
Capital ;  and  as  far  back  as  1674,  we  find  in  the  '.'  Journals 
of  the  House  of  Commons,"  a  notice  of  a  bill  to  enable 
him  to  enjoy  the  sole  benefit  of  certain  pumps  and  water- 
engines  invented  by  him. 

.  Sir  Samuel  was  twice  married  ;  to  his  first  wife,  during 
the  usurpation ;  but  at  what  precise  time,  does  not  appear. 
In  her  naturaiization-bill,  introduced  into  the  House  of 
Commons  in  1662,  she  is  called  Susanne  <Le  Milleville, 
daughter  of  Daniel  de  Milleville,  baron  of  Boessey,  and 
of  the  lady  K^therine  his  wife,  of  Boesaey  in  France.  It 
i&  probable  he  married  her  when  abroad.  After  her  death* 
be  was  entrapped  into  a  second  marriage*  with  a  woman 
who  pretended  to  be  an  heiress  of  20,000/.  This*  he  says> 
proved  his  ruin*  She  was  a  woman  of  abandoned  conduct, 
and -probably  impaired  his  property  by  extravagance  ;  .and 
ifchough  he  was  divorced  from  her,  for  adultery,  in  1683* 
the  rest  of  hi*  history  is  but  a  melancholy  detail  of  his,  vat 
riou*  disappointments  and  distresses.  In  1689,  he  wrote 
$  ioijjr  ktutr  fa  archbishop  Tenison,  givipg  an  account  of 
^ a 'tile,  fjAWP  which  we  have  extracted  many  of  the  above 
partiani»r*y  and  concluding  with  a  declaration  that  his  only 
viafe  wie»  to  retire  and  spend  bis  life  ,"  in  Christian  .soli- 
tude," for  which  he  begs  the  archbishop's  "  helping  hand 
to  b^ve  hu  condition  truly  represented  to  hi&  majesty."  ' 
Tenison  probably  did  something  for  him,  for  we  find  a  let* 
tet  of  tittnfci  for  "  favours  and  acts  of  charity,'*  contained 

*  A*4kf\mn\trl,iu  his  own  aeeooet  that  in  the  Journals  of  the  Hoesv  of 

•f  hie  ii$t  to  archbishop  Teniaoe,  gives  Conmooi,  aed  her  age  mast  certainly 

n*  'dates,  we  advance  whet  *s  in  the  be  wrong ;  the  usher  is  said  to  hen 

tertVithsesee  degree  of  hetiftatsea.  In  died  in  1679,  aged  nineteen,   en  est 


Westsnjtnser  abbey,  it  appears  theft,  he     o/nite  dispreportiaeed  te  thai  of  sir 
butted  lire  wires  $   bee  Ceroid  who     Sesmiel.    If  these  he  Ibe  wire^ofoer 


died  id  JW4»  eted  i*eaty*ibie*.    This     sir  Sattnel,  be  mitst  here  been  ate* 
Wdonoeftctobave  been  his  4ret  wife*     ried  thrice,  €wr  we  ere  certain  he  wto 


ajjfcotffh  the  natoe  *e  dtaferceatroai     Atorced  fromone  in  1663. 


MDRLAN  D.  419 

in  it;  dated  March  &,  1695.  He  died  Jan.  1696,  probably 
in  a  weak  condition,  as  he  was  unable  to  sign  the  will,  by 
which  be  disinherited  his  only  son,  of  the  same  name,  who 
was  the  second  and  last  baronet  of  the  family,  and  be- 
queathed bis  property  to  Mrs*  Zenobia  Hough*  ►  Accord- 
ing to  the  representation  be  made  of  bis  affairs  to  arch~ 
jbisbop  Tenipon,  this  could  not  have  been  much.  The  rea- 
son of  his  disinheriting  his  son,  appears  from  a  passage  in 
bis  letter  to  the  archbishop,  in  which  he  is  confessing  the 
sins  of  his  past  life.  "  I  have  been,  in  my  youthful  days, 
very  undutiful  to  oiy  parents,  for  which  God  has  given  me 
a  son,  altogether  void  of  filial  respect  or  natural  affection." 
The  errors  of  sir  Samuel's  life  were  probably  considera- 
ble, as  te  speaks  of  having,  been  at  one  time  excommuni- 
cated, but  some  of  his  writings  shew  that  he  was  a  sincere 
penitent,  particularly  bis  "  LJrim  of  Conscience/'  which 
be  published  a  little  bdfore  bis  death,  written,  as  the  title 
sajrs,  "in  blindness*  and  refinement."  It  consists  of  a 
rhapsody  of  meditations  on  the  fall  of  man,  the  wonderful 
structure  and  powers  of  the  human  body,  with  allusions  to 
his  machines,  cautions  to  those  who  are  in  quest  of  the 
perpetual  motion,  or  the  philosopher's  stone,  and  pious 
advice  to  men  of  all  ranks  and  professions. 

Asa  machinist,  however,  sir  Samuel  Mori  and  deserves 
more  respect  than  has  hitherto  been  paid  to  him.  Granger 
refers  to  the  account  of  his  life  in  a  letter  to  archbishop 
Tenison,  but  had  never  seen  it,  e fee  h6  could  not  have 
divided  him  into  two  persons,  sir  Samuel,  who  wrote  the 
history  of  the  churches  of  Piedmont,  and  $  son  who  wag. 
master  of  mechanics  to  Charles  II.  yet  in  this  be  is  followed 
in  our  Cyclopaedias.  They  allow,  however/  that  Jie  in- 
vented the  speaking-trumpet,  although  Kircher  laid  claim 
to  it;  the  fire  engine ;  a  capstan,  to  heave  up  anchors; 
and  two  arithmetical  machines,  of  which  he  published  f, 
description,  under  the  title  of"  Tbe  description  and  use 
pf  two  Arithmetic  Instruments  ;  together  with  a  short  Trea- 
tise, explaining  the  ordinary  operations  of  Arithmetic,  &c. $ 
presented  to  his  most  excellent  majesty,  Charles  II.  by  S. 
Moriand,  in  1660.".  This  work,  which  is  exceedingly  rare, 
but  of  which  there  is  a  copy  in  the  Bodleian,  r^wbicb  bears 
d*te,  1673,  Svo,  is  illustrated  with  twelve  plates,  in  which 
the  different  parts  of  the  machine  are  adhibited;  and  whence 

•    **,  *  i 

*  He  Ipft  hi?  sigjit  about  three  jears  before  his  death. 

E  E   2 


420  M  0  R  L  A  N  D. 

it  appears  that  the  four  fundamental  rales  in  arithmetic  sire 
very  readily  worked,  and,  to  use  the  author's  own  words, 
"  without  charging  the  memory,  disturbing  the  mind,  or 
exposing  the  operations  to  any  uncertainty."  That  these 
machines  were  at  the  time  brought  into  practice,  there 
seems  no  reason  to  doubt,  as  by  an  advertisement  prefixed 
to  the  work,  it  appears  that  they  were  manufactured  for 
sale  by  Humphry  Adanson,  who  lived  with  Jonas  Moore, 
esq.  in  the  Tower  of  London. 

But  there  appears  very  good  reason, to  give  him  the 
merit  of  an  invention  of  much  greater  importance,  that  of 
the  steam-engine  ;  a  contrivance  which,  assisted  by  modern 
improvements,  is  now  performing  what  a  century  ago 
would  have  seemed  miraculous  or  impossible.  Yet  it  ap- 
pears that  he  has  been  hitherto  entirely  unknown  to  the 
world  at  large.  In  1699,  captain  Savery  obtained  a  patent 
for  this  invention;  and  he  has  consequently  occupied  all 
the  honour  of  the  discovery.  But  in  that  noble  assemblage 
of  MSS.  the  Harleian  collection,  now  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum, the  strongest  testimony  appears  that  the  real  in- 
ventor was  Samuel  Morland.  That  the  first  hint  of  the 
kind  was  thrown  out  by  the  marquis  of  Worcester,  in  his 
"  Century  of  Inventions,"  is  allowed;  but  obscurely,  like 
tbe  rest  of  his  hints.  But  Morland  wrote  a  book  upon  the 
subject ;  in  which  he  not  only  shewed  the  practicability  of 
the  plan,  but  went  so  far  as  to  calculate  the  power  of  dif- 
ferent cylinders.  This  book  is  now  extant  in  manuscript, 
in  the  above  collection.  It  was  presented  to  the  French 
king  in  1683,  at  which  time  experiments  were  actually 
ahewn  at  St.  Germain's.  The  author  dates  his  invention  in 
1682;  consequently  seventeen  years  prior  to  -Savery*s 
patent.  It  seems,  however,  to  have  remained  obscure 
both  in  France  and  England,  till  1699,  when  Savery,  who 
probably  knew  more  of  Morland's  invention  than  he  owned, 
obtained  a  patent ;  and  in  the  very  same  year,  M.  Amon- 
tdns  proposed  something  similar  to  the  French  academy, 
probably  as  his  own. 

.  The  manuscript,  in  which  Morland  explains  his  inven- 
tion, No.  5771  of  the  Harleian  collection,  hitherto,  seems 
to  have  been, as  little  noticed  as  Morland  himself.  But  if 
he  was  the  real  inventor,  as  these  circumstances  seem  to 
render  almost  certain,  it  is  highly  proper  that  his  name 
should  in  future  be  recorded,  with  all  the  honour  which  an 
invention  of  such  utility  demands.     It  is  thus  described  by 


M  O  R  L  A  N  D.  421 

the  learned  gentleman  who  assisted  in  the  improved  cata* 
logue  of  that  valuable  collection  of  MSS. 

A.tbin  book  upon  vellum,  entitled  "  Elevation  des  Eaux, 
par  toute  sorte  de  machines,  reduite  a  la  mesure,  au  poids, 
et  &  la  balance.  Presentee  a  sa  majeste*  trea  Chrestrenne 
par  le  Chevalier  Morland,  gentilhomme  ordinaire  de  la 
Cha,mbre  privee,  et  maistre  des  mecbaniques  du  Roy  de  Ik  ' 
Grande  Bretaigne,"  1683.  The  whole  is  preceded  by 
tables  of  weights,  measures,  &c.  At  page  35,  begins  what 
seems  to  be  one  of  the  first  steps  made  towards  the  art  of 
working  by  steam.  It  has  a  separate  title,  "  Les  principes 
de  la  nouveHe  force  de  feu;  inventee  par  le  Chev.  Mor- 
land  Tan  1682,  et  presentee,  a  sa  majesty,  tres  Chrestienne 
1$83."  The  author  thus  reasons  on  his  principle :  "  L'Eau 
estant  evaporee  par  la  force  de  Feu,  ces  vapeurs  demau- 
dent  incontinent  une  plus  grand' espace  (environ  deux  mitle 
fois)  que  I'eau  n'occupoiet  (sic)  a  u  para  van  t,  et  plus  tost 
que  d'etre  toujours  emprisonnees,  feroient  creverun  piece 
de  Canon..  Mais  estant  bien  gouvernees  selon  les  regies  de 
la  Statique,  et  par  science  reduites  a  la  mesure,  au  potds 
et  a  la  balance,  alors.  el  les  portent  paistblement  leurs  far- 
deaux  (comme  des  bons  chevaux)  et  aiosi  servient  eiles  du 
grand  usage  au  gendrehumain,  pan  icu  Here  na£nt  pour  Tele-* 
rations  des  Eaux."  Then  follow  a  table  of  weights  to  be- 
thus  raised  by  cylinders  half  full  of  water,  according  ta 
their  diameters. 

This  book,  which  contains  only  thirty -four  pages,  is  writ- 
ten in  elegant  and  ornamented  characters ;  .but  after  this' 
our  author  printed  a  book  at  Paris,  with  partly  the  same 
title,  as  far  as  "  a  la  balance  ;"  after  which  it  runs  thus, 
"  par  le  moyen  d'un  nouveau  piston,  et  corps  de  pompe, 
et  d'un  nouveau  movement  cyclo-elliptique,  &c.  avec  huit 
problemes  de  mechanique  proposez  aux  plus  habiles  et  auic 
plus  sea vans  du  siecle,  pour  le  hien  public,"  4to.  In  the 
dedication  to  the  king  of  France,  he  says,  that  as  bis  ma- 
jesty was  pleased  with  the  models  and  ooular  demonstra- 
tions he  had  the  honour  to  exhibit  at  St.  Germains,  be* 
thought  himself  obliged  to  present  this  book  as  a  tribute 
due  to  so  great  a  monarch.  He  states  that  it  contains  an 
abridged  account  of  the  best  experiments  be  had  made  for 
the  last  thirty  years  respecting  the  raising  of  water,,  with 
figures,  in  profile  and  perspective,  calculated  to  throw  light 
on  the  mysteries  of  hydrostatics.  It  begins  with  a  perpe- 
tual almanack,  shewing  the  day  of  the  month  or  week  for 


*28  HORLAN  D. 

ike  utne  past,  present,  and  to  come,  and  has  virions  ma*- 
theuiatical  problems,  tables,  &c. ;  but  nothing  respecting 
the  action  of  fire.  In  the  Phil.  Trans,  however,  vol.  IX. 
(1674),  is  a  paper  by  him  on  a  new  method  of  raising  wa* 
tar,  which  is  not  there  explained,  but  was  probably  effect* 
ed-by  some  application  of  steam  similar  to  that  which  U 
described  by  Bradley  in  his  book  otf  gardening,  p.  316.  It 
appears  that  here  also  he  was  followed  by  Mr.  Savery,  t6 
whom  Bradley  attributes  the  apparatus  which  he  describes^ 
tad  illustrated  by  a  plate.  It  contains  evidently  the  prhi* 
ciples  of  the  steam-engine. . 

-  How  far  all  this  may  be  conclusive  in  sir  Samuel  Mor- 
hod's  favour,  as  the  inventor  of  the  steam-engine,  we  must 
leave  to  be  determined  by  those  who  have  made  the  his* 
tory  of  inventions  their  study.  It  only  remains  that  wc? 
notice  the  titles  of  such  of  his  works  as  have  not  been  men- 
tioned already.  These  are,  1.  "  The  Count  of  Pagan's 
Method  of  delineating  all  manner  of  Fortifications  from  the1 
exterior  Polygon,  reduced  to  English  measure,  and  con- 
verted'into  Hereotectonick  lines,"  Lorid.  1072.  2.  "  A 
new  and  most  useful  Instrument  for  Addition  and  Sub- 
traction, &c.  with  a  perpetual  Almanack,"  ibid.  1672,  8 to. 
This  appears  to  have  preceded  his  description  of  the  two 
arithmetical  instruments  mentioned  above.  3.  "  The  Doc- 
trine of  Interest,  both  simple  and  compound,  explained,"* 
&c.  ibid.  1679,  8vo.  4.  "  Description  of  the  Tuba  Steri* 
torophdntca,'7' or  speaking  trumpet,  ibid.  1671,  folio.  5. 
*?  Hydrostatics,  or  Instructions  concerning  Water-works,"' 
L607,  12mo.  This  appears  to  have  been  a  posthumous1 
vyorkj  'Byoite'Of  his  letters,  dated  July  28,  1688,  it  ap- 
pears that  he  had  an  intention  of  publishing  the  first  six' 
hooks  of  Euclid,  for  the  use  of  public  schools. 

.  We  .team  from  Mr.  Lysons,  that  in  1675,  sir  Samuel 
Morland  obtained  a  lease  of  Vauxhall  house  (now  a  distil- 
lery), made  it  his  residence,  and  considerably  improved  the. 
premises,  every  part  of  which  shewed  the  invention  fcfthe 
owner;  the  side-table  in  t}ie  dining-room  Was  supplied  Willi 
a  large  fountain,  and  the  glasses  stood  urider  little  streams 
of  water.  His  coach  had  a  moveable  kite  hen,  with  clock-' 
work  machinery,  with  which  he  could  make  soup,  broil 
steaks,  or  roast  a  joint  of  meat.  About  1684  he  pur- 
chased a  house  at  Hammersmith,  near  the  water-side ;  and 
all  the  letters  we  have  seen  it)  the  Lambeth  library  or  Mu- 
seum, are  dated  from  this  place.     He  gave  a  pump  and 


y 

L 


MORLAN.D.  42» 

well*  adjoining  to  bis  bouse,  for  the  use.  of  the  pabliey 
which  benefaction  was  thus  recorded  upon  a  tablet  fixed  in 
the  wall :  "  Sir  Samuel  Morlaad's  well,  the  use  of.  which 
he  freely. gives  to  all  persona;  hoping  that  none  who  abalk 
come  after  bim#  will  adventure  to  incur  God's  displeasure 
by  denying  a  cup  of  cold  water*  (provided  at  another^  oast 
and. not  their  ,own)  to  either  neighbour,  stranger,,  patten-* 
ger,  or  poor  thirsty  beggar.  July  8,  1695."  This  pump 
has  been,  remove* ;  but  the  stone  tablet  is  preserved  in  tkm 
garden  belonging  to  the  bouse,  which  is  bow  an  academy  ,< 
arid  known  by  the  name  of  Walhrough-house,  in  the 
tenure  of  Messrs*  Aiken  and  Bathie.1 

MGRLEY  (Dr.  George),  a  learned  English  bishop, 
first  of  Worcester  and  afterwards  of  Winchester,  wassoo. 
of  Francis  Morley,  esq.  by  a.  sister  of  sir  John  Dtenban? 
one  of  the  barons  of  the  Exchequer,  and  bom  ia  Cheap- 
side,  London,  Feb.  27,  1591?.  He  lost  his  paresis  when 
y&y  young,  and  also  his  patrimony,  by  las  father  being) 
engaged  for  other  people's  debts*  However,  at;feurteen> 
he  was  elected  a  king's  scholar  at  Westminster-school,  ami 
became  a  student  of  Christ- church,  Oxford, id  1613  ;  whew 
he  took  the  first  degree  in  arts  in  1618,  ana  thai  ef  M.  A* 
in  1621.  After  a  residence  of  seven  years  in  this  colleges 
be  was  invited  to  be  chaplain  to  Robert,  earl  of  Caraarv 
and  his  lady,  with  whom  he  lived  tilL  1640,.  without 
ing  any  preferment  in  the  church.  At  the  end  of  that  time, 
and  in  his  forty-third  year,  he  was  presented  to  therectasj! 
of  Hartfield  in  Sussex,  which  being  a  sinecure,  he  ex- 
changed for  the  rectory  of  Mildenhall  in  Wiltshire ;  but* 
before  this  exchange,  Charles  I.  to  whom  he  wis  chaplain 
in  ordinary,  bad  given  him  a  canoory  of  Christ-church,, 
Oxford,  in  1641,  the  only  preferment  he  ever  desired  j 
and  of  which  he  gave  the  first  year's  profit  to  his.  ma^esty^ 
towards  the  charge  of  the  war,  then  begun.  In.  1642  be. 
took  his  degree  of  D.  D.  and  preached  one  of  the  first 
solemn  sermons  before  (he  House  of  Commons;  bet  so. 

I  ...  i  . 

*  Principally  from  an  account  drawn  up  by  sir  Samuel,  and  sent  to  abp.  Te« 
rifgori,  which  with  other  papers  relating  to  his  transactions,  is  among  bishop 
Gibson's  papers,  No.  931  of  the  MSS.  library  at  Lambeth.  Sea  also  other  pa- 
pers relating  to  him  in  Ayscough's  Cat.,  of  MSS.  in  the  British  Museum.  .  We 
liave  likewise  to  acknowledge  much  valuable  information  from  Mr.  archdeacon 
Bfares,  who  first  suggested  the  probability  of  sir  Samuel's  being  the  inventor  of 
the  steam-engine,  and  obliged  us  with  what  he  had  collected  on  the  subject.-*- 
Cole's  J^S  Athene  in  Brit.  Mus. — Lysons's  Environs,  vol.  I.  and  II.— Claren- 
don's and  BchdrcTs  Histories. — Hawkins's  History  of  Music,  vol.  IV.  p.  $21.— 
Rees's  Cyclopedia.— Lysons's  Magna.  Britannia,  Berks,  p*  378,—. Well  wood** 
Memoirs,  p.  105—106,  edit.  1700. 


424-  MO  R  L  E.Y. 

little  to  their  liking,  that  be  was  not  commanded  to  print 
it,  as  all  the  preachers  had  been.  Yet  he  was  nominated 
one  of  the  assembly  of  divines,  but  never  appeared  among 
them,  as  he  preferred  to  remain  with  the  king,  and  pro- 
mote his  majesty's  interest  Among  other  services  the 
king  employed  him  to  engage  the  university  of  Oxford  not 
to  submit  to  the  parliamentary  visitation  ;  and  such  was  his 
success,  that  the  convocation  had  the  spirjt  to  pass  an  act 
for  that  purpose,  with  only  one  dissenting  voice,  although 
they  were  then  under  the  power  of  the  enemy.  After* 
wards  he, was  appointed  by  the  university,  with  other  assist- 
ants named  by  himself,  to  negociate  the  surrender  of  the 
Oxford1  garrison  to  the  parliamentary  forces,  which  he 
managed  with  great  address.  Such  a  decided  part,  how- 
ever, could  not  fail  to  render  him  obnoxious  ;  and  accord- 
ingly in  1647,  the  committee  for  reforming  the  university 
voted  his  canpnry  vacant.  He  was  offered  at  the  same 
time  to  hold  it  and  what  else  he  bad,  if  he  would  give  his 
word: not  to  appear  openly  against  them  and  their  proceed- 
ings; but  he  preferred  suffering  with  his  celebrated  col- 
leagues Fell,  Sanderson,,  Hammond,  &c.  Accordingly  in 
1648  be  was  deprived  of  all  bis  preferments,  and  im- 
prisoned for,  some  little  time.  Some  months  before,  be  had 
been  permitted  to  attend  upon  the  king  at  Newmarket-  as 
one  of  his  chaplains,!  and  he  was  one  of  the  divines  who  as- 
sisted the  king  at  the  treaty  of  Newport  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
In  March  1648-9,  be  prepared  the  brave  lord  Capel  for 
death,  and  accompanied  him  to  the  scaffold  on  Tower-hill.  r 
,  In  1649  be  left  England,  and  waited  upon  king  Charles 
II.  at  the- Hague,  who  received  him  very  graciously,  and 
carried  him  first. into  France,  and  afterwards  to  Breda,  with 
him.  But,  the  king  not  being  permitted  to  take  his  own 
divines  with  him,  when  he  set  out  upon  his  expedition  to 
Scotland,  in  June  1650,  Morley  withdrew  to  the  Hague; 
and,  after  a  short  stay  there,  went  and  lived  with  -  his 
frieud  Dr.  John  Earle  at  Antwerp,  in  the  house  of  sir 
Charles  Cotterel.  After  they  had  thus  continued  about  a 
year  together,  sir  Charles  being  invited  to  be  steward  to 
the  queen  of  Bohemia,  and  Dr.  Earle  to  attend  upon  James 
duke  of  York  in  France,  Morley  then  removed  into  the 
family  oi'  the  lady  Frances  Hyde,  wife  of  sir  Edward  Hyde, 
in  the  same  city  of  Antwerp;  and  during  his  residence 
there,  which  was  three  or  four  years,  he  read  the  service 
of  the  Church  of  England  twice  every   day,  catechised 


M  O  R  L  E  Y.  425 

once  a  week,  and  administered  the  communion  once  a 
month,  to  all  the  English  in  that  city  who  would  attend ; 
as  he  did  afterwards  at  Breda,  for  four  years  together,  in 
the  same  family.  But,  betwixt  his  going  from  Antwerp 
and  his  coming  to  Breda,  he  officiated  at  the  Hague  about 
two  years,  as  chaplain  to  the  queen  of  Bohemia,  without 
expecting  or  receiving  any  reward.  As  he  had  been  happy 
at  home  in  the  acquaintance  and  friendship  of  many  emi- 
nent men,  such  as  lord  Falkland,  sir  Edward  Hyde;  Dr. 
Hammond,  Dr.  Sanderson,  Mr.  ChillitYgworth,  Dr.  Shel- 
don, Waller,  with  whom  he  had  resided  at  Beacoosfield, 
&c.  so  he  was  also  abroad,  in  that  of  Bochart,  Salmasius, 
Daniel  Heinsius,  Rivet,  &c. 

-  When  all  things  were  preparing  for  the  king's  restora- 
tion, Morley  was  sent  over  by  chancellor  Hyde,  two 
months  before,  to  help  to  pave  the  way  for  that  great  event. 
In  this  undertaking  he  had  some  trouble  in  repressing  the 
intemperance  of  the  royalists,  who  accustomed  themselves 
to  inveigh  against  the  republicans  in  a  manner  calculated 
to  irritate  those  who  had  as  yet  a  considerable  share  of 
power  in  their  hands.  He  conversed  also  with  the  heads 
of  the  presbyterian  party,  without  entering  too  deeply 
into  particulars,  but  avowed  himself  a  Calvinist,  because 
be  knew  that  they  entertained  the  most  favourable  opinion 
of  such  churchmen  as  were  of  that  persuasion.  His  chief 
business,  however,  in  this  kind  of  embassy,  was  to  confute 
the  report  that  Charles  II.  was  a  papist.  In  this  be  was 
probably  more  successful  than  correct.  Upon  the  king's 
return,  he  was  not  only  restored  to  his  canonry,  but  also 
promoted  to  the  deanry  of  Christ-church.  He  was  installed, 
July  1660,.  and  nominated  to  the  bishopric  of  Worcester, 
October  following.  In  1661,  be  was  a  principal  manager  at 
the  conference  between  the  episcopal  and  presbyterian 
divines,  commissioned  under  the  great  seal  to  review  the 
liturgy  ;*  and,  according  to  Baxter,  was  the  most  fluent 
and  chief  speaker  of  all  the  bishops.  Some  time  after,  he 
was  made  dean  6f  his  majesty's  royal  chapel ;  and,  in  1662, 
upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Duppa,  was  translated  to  the  bi- 
shopric of  Winchester;  when  the  king,  it  is  said,  told 
him,  u  he  would  be  never  the  richer  for  it."  He  was,  in 
truth,  a  great  benefactor  to  this  see ;  for,  besides  the  re- 
.  pairing  of  the  palace  at  Winchester,  he  spent  above  8000/. 
in  repairing  Farnham-castle,  and  above  4000/.  in  purchas- 
ing Winchester-house  at  Chelsea,  to  annex  to  this  see. 


*U  MOSLET. 

* 

Many  other  benefactions  of  bis  are  recorded.  \He  gave 
lQQt.  per  annv  to  Christ-church  in  Oxford,  for  the  public 
use  of  that  college  r  he  founded  five  scholarships  of  10/.  pee 
annum  each,  in  Pembroke-college,  three  for  the  Isle  of. 
Jersey,  and  two  for  Guernsey  ?  he  gave',  ait  several  times* 
upwards  of  iSOOl.  to  the  church  of  St.  Paul,  London:  and 
be  bequeathed  in  his  will  1000/.  to  purchase  lands  for  the 
augmenting  of  some  small  vicarages.  By  temperance  and 
exercise  he  reached  a  very  old  age,  and  diedf  at  Farnhann 
eastte,  Oct;  29,  1684,  and  was  buried  in  Winchester  ca- 
thedral. 

He  was  a  very  bard  student,  usually  rising  about  fivd 
o'clock  in  the  morning  both  in  winter  and  summer,  though 
he  n fever  went  to  bed  till  about  eleven  in  the  Severest  sea- 
son of  the  yGar;  nor  did  he  eat  more  than  once  in  tbe 
twenty-four  hours.  By  this  means  he  passed  his  life  with- 
out ever  being  obliged  to  keep  his  bed  for  any  siekuess1 
more  than  twice.  Bishop  Burnet  tells  us*  that  be*  had  been  m 
first  known  to  the  world  as  a  friend  of  lord  Falkland's;  a 
circumstance  sufficient  to  raise- any  man's  character*  tie 
had  continued  for  many  years  in  the  lord  Clarendon's  ft- 
mily,  and  was  his  particular  friend.*  He  was  a  Caivioist 
with  relation  to  the  Armiuian  points,  and  was  thought  a 
friend  to  the  puritans  before  tbe  wars ;  and  although  in  tbe 
Savoy  conference  he  would  not  admit  of  any  concessions 
to  that  party,  Calamy  records  several  instances  of  his 
moderation  towards  dissenters.  He  was  a  pious  and  chari-v 
table  marl,  of  a  very  exemplary  life,  but  occasionally 
passionate,  and  obstinate.  He  was  in  many  respects  an, 
eminent  man,  Jealous  against  popery,  and  considerably  f 
learned,  with  a#  uncommon  vivacity  of  thought. 

Me  wad  the  author  of  some  small  pieces,  of  which  tbe  fbf* 
lowing  is  a  list :  l.((i  Sermon  at  the  Coronation  of  Chattel 
Ifc  April  #3,  1661."  In  the  dedication  to  the  king,  by 
whose  command  it  was' published,  he  says,  that  "  be;  wad 
flow  parsed  his  great  climacterical,  and  tbis  was  tbe'  fux* 
tame  that  ever  be  appeared  in  print."  2.  u  Vindication  of 
himself  from  Mr.  Baxter's  Calumny,**  &c  1682.  3.  "Epi*» 
tola  apcvlogetiea  &  parafenetica  ad  Tbeoldgum  quondam 
Belgam  fecripta,"  16£3,  4tb;  wYittern  at  Breda,  June  1659; 
reprinted  in  1683,  under  this  title,  i§  Episfcolai,  &c.  in  qua 
agitur  de  seren.  Regis  Car.  II.  erga  Reforraatain  Religion 
nem  Affectti,*  In  this  letter,  be  attempts  to  clear  Charles 
1$.  from  the  imputation  of  prjpety,  and  urges  tbe  Dutch  Id 
lend  their  utmost  assistance  towards  bis  restoration.     4. 


M  O  R  L  E  Y.  427 

"The  Sum  of  a  Conference  with  Darcey,  a  Jesuit,  at  Brtrs- 
seJs,"  1649.  5.  "  An  Argument,  drawn  from  the  Evidence 
and  Certainty  of  Sense,  against  the  Doctrine  of  Trarisub- 
stantiasioa."  6*  "  Vindication  of  the  Argument/9  &c. 
7.  "  Answer  to  Father  Cresjiy's  Letter-;"  written  about 
1662.  8.  "Sermon  before  the  King,  Nov.  5,  1667." 
9*  <<  Answer  to  a  Letter  written  by  a  Romish  Priest/9  1676. 
10.  *'  Letter  to  Anne  Duchess  of  York,  some  few  months 
before  her  death,"  written,  1670.  This  lady,  the  daughter 
of  sir  Edward  Hyde,  was  instructed  in  the  Protestant  reli- 
gion by  our  author,  while  he  lived  at  Antwerp  in  bet 
father's  family ;  but  afterwards  went  over  to  the  church  of 
Rome,  which  occasioned  this  letter.  11.  "Ad  Viram 
Janum  Ulitium  Epistolss  duee  de  Inyocatione  Sanctorum ;" 
written  1659.  All  the  above  pieces,,  except  the  first  and 
second,  were  printed  together  in  1683,  4to.  12.  "A 
Letter  to  the  Earl  of  Anglesey,  concerning  the  Means  to 
keep. out  Popery,  &c."  printed  at  the  end  of  "  A  true 
Account  of  the  whole  Proceedings  betwixt  James  Duke  of 
Ormond  and  Arthur  Earl  of  Anglesey,"  1693.  13.  "  Vin- 
dication of  himself  from  Mr.  Baxter's  injurious  Reflexions,'9 
Ate.  1683.  He  made  also,  14.  "  An  Epitaph  for  James  I. 
1625;"  which  was  printed  at  the  end  of  "  Spofeswood'd 
Hiatory  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  ;"  and  is  said  to  hard 
been  the  author  of,  15.  "  A  Character  of  King  Charles  II. 
1660  }"  in  one  sheet,  4to. l 

MORNAY  (Philip  de),  lord  of  Pleseis  Marly,  an  illu*~ 
trioaa  French  ptfptestant,  privy-counsellor  of  Henry  IV. 
and  governor  of  SaupMir,  was  born  at  Buhi  or  Bishu)',  in 
the*  French.  Ve&in,  in  1549.  He  was  descended  from  an 
ancient  and  noble  faintly,  which  had,  in  course  of  time, 
divided  itself  into  several  branches,  and  produced  many 
great  and  eminent  nien.  His  father,  James  de  Mornay, 
had  done  gteat  services  to  the  royal  family  in  the  wars;' 
but  in  the  time  of  peace  ted  a  very  retired  life,  and  was 
much  attached  to  the  religion  of  his  country.  He  de- 
signed Philip  for  the  church,  as  he  Was  a  younger  son^ 
with, a  view  to  succeed  his  uncle  Bertin  de  Mornay,  who 
was. dean  of  Beauvais  and  4bb6  of  Saumur,  and  who  had 
promised  to  resign  those  preferments  to  him;  bat  this 
plat)  was  rendered  abortive  by  the  death  of  the  uncle.  In 
the  mean  time  his  mother,  who  was  the  daughter  of  Charles' 
da  Bee  Crespin*  vice-admiral  of  France,  and  chamberlain: 

1  Bio?.  Brit.—Ath.  Ox.  vol.  II.— Wood's.  Annals.— Berwick's  Life.— Milaer'a 
Hist  of  Winchester. 


426  MO.RNAY. 

to  Francis  II.  was  secretly  a  protectant,  and  had  taken  care 
to  inspire  her  son  insensibly  with  her  own  principles.  His 
father  died  when  .he  was  not  more  th^n  ten  years  of  age; 
and  his  mother,  making  open  profession  of  the  protestaot 
religion  in  1561,  set  up  a  lecture  in  her  own  house, 
which  confirmed  him  in  it.  His  literary  education  was  all 
the  while  carrying  on  with  the  utmost  care  and  circum- 
spection :  he  had  masters  provided  for  him  in  all  languages 
and  sciences ;  and  the  progress  he  made  in  all  was  what 
might  be  expected  from  bis  very  uncommon  parts  and  ap- 
plication. 

In  1567,  he  was  obliged  to  retire  from  Paris,  where  he 
was  pursuing  his  studies,  on  account  of  the  com mpt ions 
which  were  breaking  out,  and  soon  after  took  up  arms, 
and  served  a  campaign  or  two.     But,  having  the.  misfor- 
tune to  break  one  of  his  legs,  he  quitted  the  profession,  of 
a  soldier,  and  began  to  entertain  thoughts  of  travelling  into 
foreign  countries,  for  the.  improvement  of  his  mind,  and 
for  the  sake  of  some  baths,  which  he  hoped  would  restore 
to  him  the  free  use.  of  his  leg.     He  arrived  at  Geneva  in 
1568,  not  without  the  greatest  danger  and  peril  to  himself; 
for,  all  places  were  so1  full  of  soldiers,  and  the  passages,  so 
guarded,  that  it  was  difficult  for  one  of  .bis  religion  to  pass 
with  safety.     He  made  but  a  short  stay  at  Geneva,  on  ac- 
count of  the  plague  which  was  there;  but,  taking  his  way 
through   Switzerland,  went   to   Heidelberg    in  Germany. 
Here  be  became  acquainted  with  Tremellius,  and   other 
learned  men,  and  entered  upon  the  study  of  the.  civil  law. 
In  1569  he  went  to  Francfort,  where  be  was  affectionately 
received  by  the  celebrated  Languet,  who,gave  him  instruc- 
tions for  his  future  travels,  and  recommendatory  letters  to 
several  great  men.     He  stayed  some  time  afterwards  at 
Padua,  for  the  farther  prosecution  of  the  study  of  civil  law, 
and  then  proceeded  to  Venice.    .He  had  a  great  desire,  to 
niake  the  tour   of  the  East ;  but,  as  the  Venetians  and 
Turks  were  then  at  war  about  the  Isle  of  Cyprus,  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  pass  the  coasts  of  Istria  and  Dalma- 
tia  with  any  degree  of  safety.     From  Venice,  in  1571,.  be 
went  to  Rome,  where  his  religion  bad  like  to  have  brought 
bim  into  danger.     He  had  experienced  something  of  this 
sort  at  Venice,  owing  to  the  zeal  of  an  officer  of  the  in- 
quisition, but  he  escaped  in  both  places,  and  from  Rome  he 
returned  to  Venice,  from  Venice  to  Vienna;  and  thence, 
after  taking  a  round  through  Hungary,  Bohemia,  Misnia, 
Saxony,  Hesse,  Franconia,  to  Francfort,  where  he  arrived  in 


M  O  R  N  A  Y.  429 

Sept.  1551.  Though  he  was  very  young  when  he  set  out 
upon  his  traveU,  yet  be  never  suffered  the  man  of  pleasure  to 
get  the  better  of  the  philosopher ;  but  made  that  profitable 
use  of  them,  which  a  wise  man  will  always  make.  He  ex- 
amined every  thing  that  was  curious  in  everyplace;  andj 
that  nothing  might  escape  him,  attentively  perused  not 
only  the  general  history  of  the  countries,  but  also  the 
histories  of  each  particular  town  and  province  through 
which  he  passed.  Nor  was  he  only  attentive  to  their  anti- 
quities, but  remarked  also  whatever  was  worth  notice  in 
the  manners,  customs,  policy,  and  constitution,  of  each. 

In  1572  he  went  into  Flanders,  to  survey  the  situation, 
the  strength,  the  fortifications,  and  garrisons,  of  that  coun* 
try,  and  afterwards  passed  over  to  England,  where  he  was 
graciously  received  by  queen  Elizabeth ;    for,   his   part*, 
his  knowledge,  his  uncommon  capacity  for  the  manage- 
ment of  great  affairs,  had  spread  his  name  far  and  wide; 
and' made  him  courted,  especially  by  the  great.     In  1575 
he  married,  and  published  the  same  year  a  treatise  "  Con- 
cerning Life  arid  Death ;"  for,  though  often  employed  in 
civil  affairs,  and  oftener  solicited  to  engage  in  them,  yet 
lie  passed  much  of  his  time  in  reading  and  writing.  ,  Pre- 
viously to  his  marriage  he  had  engaged  in  an  unsuccessful 
contest  with  part  of  the  king's  troops ;  was  wounded  and 
taken  prisoner ;  but  after  the  confinement  of  a  few  days, 
and  by  assuming  a* false  name,  he  was  allowed  to  ransom 
himself  on  easy  terms.     In  1576,  he  again  took  arms,  and 
now  his  adherents  were  so  powerful,  that  the  king's  party 
deemed  it  expedient  to  propose  a  negociation,  which  was 
accepted.     After  this,  he  went  to  the  court  of  the  king  of 
Navarre,  afterwards  Henry  IV.  of  France,  who  received 
hinrvery  graciously,  gave  him  one  of  the  first  places  in  his 
council,  and,  upon  all  occasions,  paid  great  deference  to 
his  judgment.     Du  Plessis,  on  his  part,  did  the  king  great 
services.     He  went  into  England  to  solicit  the  assistance 
of  Elizabeth  for  him  in  1577,  into  Flanders  in  1578,  and 
to  the  diet  of  Augsburg  in  1579.     In  1578  he  published  a 
treatise  "  Concerning  the  Church  ;"  in  which  he  explained 
his  motives  for  leaving  the  popish,  and  embracing  the  pro- 
testant  religion;  and,  in   1579,  began   his   book   "Upon 
the  Truth  pf  the  Christian  Religion."     But,  before  he  had 
tnade  any  progress  in  this,  he  was  seized  with  an  illness, 
.which  was  thought  to  be  the  effect  of  some  poison  that 
had  been  given  him  at  Antwerp  the  year  before,  with   a 
view  of  destroying  hini.     He  recovered,  though  danger* 


430  M  O  K  N  A  Y. 

opsly  ill,  and  continued  to  do  service  to  tfcteking  nf  Na- 
vprre  and  the  protestaot  religion.  From  1585,  when  the 
league  commenced,  he  was  more  intimately  connected 
with  the  affairs  of  the  king;  and,  in  1590,  was  made: his 
counsellor  of  state,  after  having  been  invested  with  the 
government  of  Saumur  the  year  before.  In  1592,' the 
king  appointed  him  to  confer  with  M.  de  Viljeroy  opo» 
the  subject  of  the  king's  religion ;  but  the  extravagant 
demands  of  De  Villeroy  rendered  their  conference  <of  no 
effect.  Du  Plessis*  however,  opposed  the  king's  .embra- 
cing the  popish  religion,  as  long  as  he  could ;  and,  when 
he  could  prevent  it  no  longer,  withdrew  himself  gradually 
from  court,  and  resumed  his  studies.    . 

In  1596  be  published  a  piece  entitled  "The  just  Pre*- 
cedbres  of  those  of  the  Reforme<l  Religion  >}  id  whiclh  he 
removes  the  imputation  of  the  present  troubles  and  dissec- 
tions from  the  protestants,  and  throws  the  blame  do  those 
who  injuriously  denied  them  that  liberty,  which  their 
great  services  bad  deserved.  In  1595  he  published  his 
treatise  "  upon  the  Eucharist ;"  tyhicb  occasioned  the  con- 
ference at  Fontainbleaa  in  1 600,  between  Du  Perron,  the« 
bishop  of  Evreux,  afterwards  cardinal,  and  M.  du  Plessis^ 
and  raised  his  reputation  and  credit  among  the  (protestants 
to  so  great  a  height,  that  he  was  called'  by  many  "  the 
Protestant  Pope."  In  1607  he  published  a  work  *e»* 
titled  "  The  Mystery  of  Iniquity,  or  the  History  of  the 
Papacy;"  which  was  written  as  most  of  his  other  works 
were,  first  in  French,  and  then  translated  into  Latta. 
Here  he  shews  by  what  gradual  progress  the  popes  have 
risen  to  that  ecclesiastical  tyranny,  which  was  forefeokt  by 
the  apostles;  and  what  opposition  from  time  to  time  all 
nations  have  given  them. '  This  seems  to  have  been  -a  work 
pf  prodigious  labour ;  yet  it  is  said,  that  he  was  not  above 
nine  months  in  composing  it.  About  this  time,  also,  he 
published  "An  Exhortation  to  the  Jews  concerning  the 
Messiah,"  in  which  be  applies  a  great  deal  of  Hebrew 
learning  very  judiciously ;  and  for  this  he  was  compli* 
mented  by  the  elder  Buxtorf.  There  are  several  other 
lesser  pieces  of  his  writing ;  but  his  capital  work,  and  fofr 
which -he  has  been  most  distinguished,  is  his  book-  «  Upea 
the  Truth  of  the  Christian  Religion ;"  in  which  he  employs 
the  weapons  of  reason  and  learning  with  great  force  3ttd 
skill  against  Atheists,  Epicureans,  Heathens,  Jews*  Ma* 
boraetans,  and  other  Infidels,  as  he  tells  us>in.  hw  '  f 
This  book  was  dedicated  to  Henry  IV.  while  he  was 


M  O  R  N  A  Y.  431 

of  Nav^rce  only,  in  1582;  and,  the  year  after,  was  trans- 
lated by  himself  into  Latin.  "  As  a  Frenchman,"  says  be, 
in  his  preface  to  the  reader,  "  I  bare  endeavoured  to  serve 
my  own  country  first;  and,  as  a  Christian,  the  universal 
(kingdom  of  Christ  next."  Baillet  observes,  with  justness, 
that  "  the  Protestants  of  France  bad*  great  reason* to  be 
proud  of  having  such  a  man  as  Mornay  du  Plessis  of  their 
party  •>  a  gentleman,  who,  besides  -the  nobleness  of  bis 
births  was  distinguished  by  many  fine  qualities  both  natural 
*nd  acquired." 

In  1621,  when  Lewis  XIII.  made  war  upon  the  protest* 
lints,  he  took  away  the  government  of  Saumur  from  Du 
Plessis,  who  then  retired  to  his  barony  of  La  Forest  in 
Poictou,  where  he  died  in  1623,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
fpui",  deeply  regretted  by  the  protestants,  and  esteemed  by 
the  catholics  as  a  man  of  talents  and  integrity. 1 

MOROSINI,  (Andrew),  a  senator  of  Venice,  de- 
scended from  James  Morosini,  of  a  very  illustrious  family, 
was  born  in  the  year  1558.  He  received  an  excellent  edu- 
cation, and  rose  through  the  different  degrees  of  nobility 
to  a  place  in  the  council  of  ten.  He  was  accomplished 
in  every  branch  of  polite  literature,  and  in  1598  suc- 
ceeded tto  the  office  of  historian  of  the  republic,  and 
was  employed  in  continuing  Paruta's  History  of  Venice, 
whicU.be  brought  down  to  1615.  He  died  in  1618,  but 
fi$  he  hftd  not  qaite  finished  his  work,  it  was  not  published 
un,til  1623.  It  has  been  ranked  among  the  best  perfor- 
mances of tb*t  age.  He  also  published,  in'  Latin,  a  volume 
-of  "  Qpuscula  and  Epistles ;"  apd  a  narrative  in  Italian  of 
"  Expeditions  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  the  Acquisition  of 
.Constantinople  by  the  Venetian  Republic."  His  brother 
♦Paul,  likewise  a  Venetian  senator,  was  appointed  to  the 
pame  post  of  public  historian,  and  gave  an  entire  history 
of  the  republic  from  its  origin  to  the  year  1487,  in  1637, 
which  was  published  in  the  Italian  language.  * 

MORRIS,  (Lewis),  a  Welsh  antiquary  and  poet,  was 
born  in  the  isle  of  Anglesey  in  the  year  1702,  and  died 
in  1765  at  Penhryn,  in  Cardiganshire.  He  surveyed  the 
*  OQftjst of  Wales  4n  t?37,  bywder  of  the  admiralty-board; 
.and  his  work  was  ^Wished  in  1 748.  Some  of  his  poeti- 
cal pieces   in. the  Welsh  language  have  been  printed) 

1  Life  byDe  Liquet.—  Singnlaria  Plessiaca,  Hamburgh,  1724,  8ro.— Mo- 
Teri.-— Wet.  ftigU<— Saxii  Onomait 

1  Nictnm,  v*l.  XII.— Moreri.— TiratMMcht. 


432  M  O  R  R  I  S. 

and  he  left  above  eighty  volumes  of  manuscripts  of  -itefo 
quity,  now  deposited  in  the' Welsh  charity-school,  Girays- 
Inn  lane,  London.  It  was  his  intention  to  have  compiled 
a  Welsh  dictionary,  as  appears  by  his  correspondence  fn 
the  Gentleman's  Magazine.  His  brother  Richard  was  also 
a  poet  and  critic  in  his  native  language.  He  was  clerk  in 
the  navy  pay-office,  and  superintended,  the  printing  of  two 
valuable  editions  of  the  Welsh  Bible.  He  diedin- 1779. 
William  Morris,  another  brother,  was  a  great  collector  of 
Welsh  manuscripts,  and  died  comptroller  of  the  customs  at 
Holyhead  in  1764. ■ 

MORTIMER  (John  Hamilton),  an  English  artist,  at 
one  time  of  considerable  fame,  was  born  at  Eastbourne 
in  the  county  of  Sussex,  in  November  1739.  His  father, 
who  was  a  collector  of  the  customs  at  that  port,  was  de- 
scended from  Mortimer  earl  of  March,  and  a  man  of  most 
respectable  character.  His  uncle  was  an  itinerant  painter, 
of  merit  much  above  mediocrity;  from  frequently  seeing 
his  productions,  the  nephew  imbibed  an  early  fondness  for 
that  art,  which  be  afterwards  practised  with  considerable 
success.  His  taste  for  the  terrific  he  is  said  to  have  ac- 
quired from  the  scenery  of  the  place,  and  the  tribe  offe* 
rocious  smugglers,  whom  it  was  his  father's  duty  to  watch, 
whose  countenances,  unsoftened  by  social  intercourse,  were 
marked  with  that  savage  hardihood,  which  he  afterwards  so 
much  admired,  and  sometimes  imitated,  in  the  banditti  of 
Sal  vator  Rosa.  '      •  • 

His  parents  placed  him  with  Mr.  Hudson,  the  most' emi- 
nent painter  of  that  day,  with  whom  he  continued  three 
years,  the  fellow- pupil  of  Wright  of  Derby.  He  was  after- 
wards twelve  months  with  sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  who  bad 
Ifeft  Hudson  about  a  year  before  Mortimer  became  his  pupil ; 
but  the  great  school  of  his  improvement  was  the  duke  of 
Richmond's  gallery,  which  he  long  attended  with  great  as- 
siduity, and  to  so  good  a  purpose,  that  Cipriani  and  Mr. 
Moser  recommended  him  to  the  peculiar  attention  of  that 
nobleman,  who  was  very  desirous  of  retaining  him  in  his 
bouse,  but  the  offer  was  rejected.  ;    . 

When  the  society  fbr  the  encouragement  of  arts,  trianu*' 
factures,  and  commerce,  gave  premiums  for  the  best  hist<£ 
rical  pictures,  Mortimer  contended  for  the  prize  with  Huy- 

'  Owen's  Cambrian  Biography.— The  Cambrian  Register,   vol.  II.'— Gcqfe 
>Jag.  vol.  LIX, 


MORTIMER.  433 

* 

jnafl  and  several  other  artists,  painted  a  picture  of  St.  Paul 
converting  the  Britons,  was  adjudged  worthy  of  the  palm; 
and  received  one  hundred  guineas  as  a  reward  for  his  su- 
periority, ajid  an  encouragement  to  bis  perseverance.  This 
picture,  at  a  future  day,  became  the  property  of  Dr.  Sates 
of  Great  Missenden,  and,  in  1778,  Was  by  him  presented 
to  the  church  of  Cbipping-Wycombe  in  Buckingham- 
shire, of  which  it  now  forms  the  altar-piece.  At  the  time 
of  painting  it  he  was  an  inhabitant  of  Covent-garden  pa- 
rish, and  lived  in  the  piazza,  where  he  contracted  an  inti- 
macy with  Charles  Churchill,  Lloyd,  and  several  other 
eccentric  characters,  more  distinguished  by  the  brilliancy 
of  their  wit,  than  the  regularity  of  their  conduct.  He 
afterwards  removed  to  a  house  in  the  church-yard  of  the 
same  parish,  and  resided  there  until  the  year  1775,  whea 
be  married,  and  removed  to  Norfolk-street,  where  he  lived 
four  years  during  the  winter,  but  in  the  summer  months^ 
pursued  his  professional  studies  at  a  house  at  Aylesbury 
in  Buckinghamshire.  In  this  retirement,  secluded  frotii 
the  society  to  whom  he  had,  in  early  life,  devoted  many 
of  his  hours,  he  recovered  his  health,  gave  a  new  tone  to 
bis  mind,  and  cultivated  his  art  with  more-  enthusiastic 
ardour. 

He  had  hitherto  been  a  member  of  (he  society  of  artists 
of  Great  Britain,  who  exhibited  at  the  room  now  called  the 
Lyceum  in.  the  Strand,  but,  in  the  year  1779,  without  ex- 
pectation or  solicitation,  he' was,  by  the  especial  grant  of 
bis  majesty,  created  a  royal  academician,  but  did  not  live  t6 
see  the  diploma1;  for,  on  the  4th  of  February  1.779,  deeply 
regretted  by  all  who  bad  the  honour  and.  happiness  of  his 
friendship,  after  an  illness  of  only*  twelve  days,  he  died  at 
bis  house  in  Norfolk-street  Hrs  fame  has-been  thought 
to  rest  on  his  picture  of  king  John  granting  Magna  Chart* 
to  the  Barons,  Battle  of  Agincourt,  Yortigern  and  Rowentf, 
the  Incantation,  the  Series  of  the  Progress  of  Vice,  and 
the  Sir  Artbegull  from  Spenser.  His  favourite  subjects 
were  of  the  grotesque  or  horrible  kind  ;  incantations,  mona- 
sters, or  representations  of  banditti  and  soldiers  in  violent 
actions.  The  attempts  at  real  character  which  he  made 
(and  of  >  which  he  has  left  us  etchings)  from  some  of 
Sbakspeare's  most  celebrated  heroes,  are  weak  and  untrue; 
they  leaye  us  nothing  to  regret  in  his  not  having  indulged 
himself  in  more  of  the  like  kind^  -except  for  •  the  freedom 
with  which  they  are  executed.     Thdy  were  very  highly  ex* 

Vol.  XXII.  F  f 


434  MORTIMER. 

tolled  in  his  time,  but  the  improvement  in  art  and  taste 
which  the  country  has  since  experienced,  has  given  us  more 
accurate  ideas  of  art,  and  more  just  discrimination  between 
character  and  caricature. ' 

MORTON  (Charles),  a  learned  physician  and  anti* 
quary,  was  a  native  of  Westmoreland,  where  be  was  borrf 
in  1716,  and  practised  physte  with  considerable  reputation 
at  Kendal  about  1745.  At  what  time  he  removed  to  Lon- 
.  don  we  have  not  been  able  to  discover,  as  very  few  par- 
ticulars of  his  life  have  been  recorded,  but  it  was  probably 
about  1751,  when  he  was  admitted  a  licentiate  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Physicians.  In  1752  he  wa^  elected  a  fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society ;  and  on  the  first  establishment  of  the  British 
Museum,  in  1756,  he  was  appointed  under~librarian  of  the 
manuscripts  and  medal  department.  In  1-760  he  was  elected 
one  of  the  secretaries  to  the  Royal  Society,  which  situation 
he  held  till  1774  ;  and  in  1776,  on  the  death  of  Dr.  Maty, 
he  was  appointed  principal  librarian  of  the  British  Museum; 
He  was  also  a  fellqw  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries,  and  of 
the  Imperial  Academy  of  Petersburgh.  He  died  Feb.  10, 
1799,  aged  eighty-three,  and  was  buried  iu  the  cemetery 
near  the  London  road,  Twickenham.  In  1744  he  married 
Miss  Mary  Berkeley,  a  niece  of  Lady  Betty  Germaine,  by 
whom  he  had  an  only  daughter,  Elizabeth,  married  to  James 
Dansie,  esq,  of  Herefordshire.  He  married,  secondly,  in 
1772,  Lady  Savile  (mother  of  the  amiable  Sir  George  Sa- 
vile),  who  died  Feb.  10,  1791 :  in  which  yearlbo  married 
to  his  third  wife  Elizabeth  Pratt,  a  near  relation  of  Lady 
Savile.  Dr.  Morton  was  a  man  of  great  uprightness  and 
integrity,  and  much  admired  as  a  scholar. 

Dr.  Morton  published  in  1759  an  improved  edition  of 
Dr.  Barnard's  engraved  "  Table  of  Alphabets/*  and  Bui* 
strode  Whitlock's  "Journal  of  the  Swedish  Embassy  in 
1653  and  1654,"  1772,  2  vols.  4to.  He  communicated  to 
the  Royal  Society  a  paper  on  muscular  motion,  and  ano- 
ther on  the  supposed  connexion  between  the  hieroglyphic 
writing  of  Egypt  and  the  modern  Chinese  character;  both 
of  which  were  published  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions, 
vols.  XLVII.  and  LIX.  This  last  communication  originated 
from  an  inquiry  addressed  to  the  Jesuits  at  Pekin,  relative 

1  PUkiogton. — Edward*'*  Continuation  of  Walpole,  &c. — The  highest  cha- 
racter bestowed  on  him  is  in  the  edition  of  PilVrugton,  published  in  1798  ;  but 
futeti  aad  other  crtiica  lino*  Juwe  made  heavy  dedoctioas  from  the  lariifc 
.  jNcaJMt  of  thai  Artwla* 


O  B  T  O  W.  49* 

fb  certain  -characters  on  a  bunt  discovered  by  Mr.  Needham 

fct  Turin,  whose  conjectures  concerning  them  were  contra* 

verted  by  Desguignes,  Bartoli,  Winkleman,  and  Wortley 

Mbntagtie.     The  Jesuits,  assisted  by  the  Chinese  literati, 

decided  that  the  characters  in  question,  though  four  dr  fire 

have  a  sensible  resemblance  to  as  many  Chinese  ones,  ate 

'not  genuine  Chinese  characters,  having  no  connected  sense 

Dor  proper  resemblance  to  any  of  the  different  forms  of 

'  writing,  and  that  the  whole  inscription  had  nothing  Chinese 

in  the  face  of  it;  but,  in  order  to  promote  discoveries,  they 

aent  an  Actual  collation  of  the  Egyptian  with  the  Chinese 

•hieroglyphics,  engraved  on  twenty-six  plates*     In   1768 

Dr.  Morton  was  appointed,  jointly  with  Mr.  Farley,  to  super* 

intend  the  publication  of  the  Domesday  Book,  hut  soon 

-relinquished  the  task.  Ac  this  time  it  was  proposed  to  havte 

been  carried  into  execution  by  types;  and  Mr.  Gough  says, 

Dr.  Morton  had  500/.  for  doing  tittle  or  nothing,  and  nearly 

-200/.  more  for  types  that  were  of  no  use.1 

MORTON  (John),  an  eminent  prelate  and  statesman 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.  was  the  ^eldest  son  of  Richard 
Morton,  of  Milbourne  St.  Andrew's  in  "Dorsetshire,  and 
was  born  in  1410  at  Bere  in  that  county.     The  first  part 
of  his  education  he  received  among  the  monks  of  Cerne 
abbey,   and  thence  removed  to  Baliol  college,  Oxford, 
where  in   1446  he  was  one  of  the  commissaries  of  that 
university,  and  had  been  also  moderator  of  the  civil  law 
school,  and  principal  of  Peckwater  inn  in  1453.     In  1456 
he  was  collated'  to  the  prebend  of  Fordington  with  Writb- 
lington  in  the  cathedral  of  Salisbury,  which  he  resigned  in 
1476.     In  the  same  year  be  was  installed  prebendary  of 
Covin gham  in  the  church  of  Lincoln,  and  on  this  occasion 
-resigned  the  Sub-deanery  to  which  he  had  been  collated  in 
1450.     In  October  1472  he  was  collated  by  archbishop 
Bouchier  to  the  rectory  of  St.  Duns  tan's  in  the  East,  Lon- 
don, which  he  held  only  two  years ;  and  the  same  month 
*as  collated  t»  the  prebend  of  Isledon  in  the  church  of  St. 
Paul,  which  he  exchanged  in  the  following  year  for  thsrt 
of  Chiswick  in  the  same  church. 

In  1475  he  was  appointed  master  of  the  rolls,  and  in 
1474  archdeacon  of  Winchester;  in  both  which  offices  he 
was  succeeded  by  his  nephew  Robert  Morton,  afterwards 
bishop  of  Worcester.    In  May  of  the  same  year,  1474,  be 

■  * 

*  NictoU'g  Bowser,*— X-jrsfuV*  Environ,  supplemsntary volume. 

PF  2 


4Z&  M  O  R  T  O  W. 

was  collated  to  the  archdeaconry  of  Chester,  and  wot  ttjr 
that  of  Chichester,  as  Browne  Willis  has  inadvertently  said. 
In  March  1475  he  was  installed  by  proxy  archdeacon  of 
Huntingdon ;  and  the  same  year  collated  to  the  prebend  of 
St.  Decuman  in  the  cathedral  of  Wells.  In  April  1476  he 
was  installed  prebendary  of  Sooth  Newbald  in  the  metro- 
politan church  of  York,  which  he  resigned  the  same 
year,  in  which  he  was  also  further  promoted  to  the  arch- 
deaconry of  Berkshire;  arid  in  January  1477  to  that  of 
Leicester.  This  list  of  promotions,  in  various  quarters  of 
the  kingdom,  and  from  various  patrons,  may  serve  to  shew 
the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held.  His  eminent  abili- 
ties, as  a  civilian,  during  his  practice  as  an  advocate  in  the: 
Court  of  Arches,  recommended  him  to  the  notice  of  car- 
dinal Bourchier,  who,  besides  conferring  many  of  the 
above  preferments  on  him,  introduced  him  to  Henry  VI. 
who  made  him  one  of  his  privy  council.  To  this  unfortu- 
nate prince  he  adhered  with  so  much  fidelity,  while  other? 
deserted  him,  that  even  his  successor  Edward  IV.  could 
not  but  admire  and  reward  his.  attachment;  took  him  into 
his  council,  and  was  much  guided  by  his  advice.  He  also, 
in  the  same  year,  1478,  made  him  both  bishop  of  Ely  and 
lord  chancellor  of  England ;  and  at  bis  death  appointed 
him  one  of  his  executors. 

On  this  account,  however*  he  was  considered  in  no  very 
favourable  light  by  the  protector,  afterwards  Richard  III. 
who  had  no  hopes  of  alluring  him.  to  his  interests.  When 
bishop  Morton  and  others  were  assembled  in  the  Tower  on 
June  13,  1483,  to  consult  about  the  coronation  of  Ed- 
ward V,  the  protector  came  among  them,  and  after  some 
general  discourse  turned  to  the  bishop  of  Ely,  and  said, 
"My  lord,  you  have  very  good  strawberries  in  your  garden 
atiHolboro,  I  require  you  let  me  have  a  mess  of  them.** 
"  Gladly,  my  lord,"  the  bishop  answered ;  **  I  wish  I  had 
some  better  thing  as  ready  to  .your  pleasure  as  that."  Yet,' 
notwithstanding  this  apparent  civility,  Morton,  with  arch- 
bishop Rotheram,.  lord  Stanley,  and  others*  were  the  same 
day  taken  into  custody,  as  known  enemies  to  the  measures 
then  rn  agitation.  'As  soon  as  this<was  known,  the  univer- 
sity of  Oxford,  to  which  Morton  had  been  a  benefactor, 
sent  a  petition  in  Latin  to  Richard,  pleading  for  bis  liberty; 
whether  with  effect  does  not  appear ;.  but  it  is  certain  th^t 
for  this  or  some  other  reason  he  was  soon  released  from 
prison,  and  given  in  ward  to  the  duke  of  Buckingham1,  then 


M-  O  ft  T  O  N{  m 

awirm  partizan  of  Richard,  but  completely  brought  oyer 
to  the  other  side  by  conversation  with  the  bishop,  He  waa 
Sent  jto  the  duke's  castle  at  Brecknock,  whence  he  escaped 
to  the  isle  of  FJy,  and  soon  after,  disguising  himself,  went 
to  the  Continent, to  Henry  earl  of  Richmond;  and.  it  was 
agreed  among  the  friends  of  the  late  king's  family  and  the 
Well-wishers  to  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  kingdom, 
that  king  Edward's  eldest  daughter,  Elizabeth,  should  be 
united  to  Henry  by  marriage;  and  thus,  by  joining  thein~ 
terests  of  the  white  and  red  rose  in  one,  a. coalition  might 
be  formed  between  the  jarring  pafties  of  York  and  Lan- 
caster. All  this  is  said, to  have  been  the  plan  recommended 
by  MortQn,  and  he  lived  to  pee  it  happily  accomplished,, 
It  is  indeed  that  transaction  of  his  life  which  giyes  him  a 
yery  honourable  place  in  English  history.  Horace  Wal pole 
only,  in  his  "  Historic  Doubts,"  has  obliquely  accused  him, 
of  violating  his  allegiance  to  Richard  III.;  but  to  Richard. 
III. .  no  allegiance  was  either  due,  or  paid.  As  Morton 
was  imprisoned  before  Richard  was  crpwned,  and  never  set 
at  liberty  until  he  made  his  escape,  it  seems  highly  pro* 
bable  that  no  oath  of  allegiance  was  ever,  tendered  to  him 
by  the  usurper. 

He  bad  before  this,  in  the  time  of  Edward  IV,  been 
employed'  in  many  important  affairs  of  state;  and  so  early 
as  1473  had  the  custody  of  the  great  seal  committed  to 
his«cajre  for  a  time,  in  the  same  year  that  he  was  consti* 
luted  master  of  the  rolls,  which  last  office  was  renewed  to 
him  in  May  1476.  In  1474  he  was  sent  ambassador  to  the 
emperor  of  Germany  and  to  the  king  of  Hungary,  to  con* 
ce,r.t  a  league  with  them  against  Lewis  of  France :  and  in 
the  next  year  he  attended  the  king,  who  was  in  France  with 
bis  army.  At  this  time.  Lewis  sent  turn  proposals  of  a 
truce,  which  was  Agreed  on  ;  and  soon  after  Morton,  with 
Sir  Thomas  Howard  and  two  others,  were  appointed  com* 
missioners  in  a  uegociation  for  peace,  which  they  con* 
eluded  on  termd  very  honourable  aud  advantageous  for 
England. 

.  Amon?  the  public-spirited  schemes  whieh  his  liberality 
induced  him  to  execute,  was  the  famous  cut  or  drain  from 
Peterborough  to  Wisbecbe,  a  track  of  upwards  of  .twelve 
miles  across  a  fenny  country,  which  proved  of  great  benefit 
|o  his  diocese  and  to  the  public,. and.  was  completed  entirely 
at  his  ex  pence.  This  still  is  known  by  the  name  pf  Mojr? 
ipxi's  Leame. 


43*  M6BTON. 

As  goon  as  Henry  VII.  was  seated  on  the  throne,  riftefr 
tbe  death  of  Richard  III.  he  sent  for  Morton,  who  was 
still  abroad,  and  immediately  On  his  arrival  made  him  on£ 
of  his  privy  council ;  and  on  tbe  death  of  cardinal  Bour- 
ebier,  in  I486,  he  was,  probably  on  the  king's  recom- 
mendation, elected  by  the  prior  and  convent  of  Canter* 
bury  to  be  archbishop.  In  the  mean  time  the  king  granted! 
him  the  whole  profits  of  the  see,  until  the  pope's  confirma- 
tion could  be  obtained,  and  tbe  disposal  of.  all  the  prefer- 
ments annexed  to  k;  and  having  received  the  pope's  bull* 
dated  Oct.  6,  1436,  he  was,  by  tbe  king,  admitted  to  the 
temporalities  on  Dec.  6  following.  In  August  1497  he  wa4 
constituted  lord  chancellor  of  England,  which  office  he 
retained  to  his  death.  In  a  MS.  in  the  British  Museum, 
(MSS.  Harl.  61 60.  fol.  54.)  he  is  said  to  hare  been  made 
chancellor  in  1485,  which  was  the  first  year  of  Henry  VIL; 
and  we  have  already  mentioned,  from  another  authority, 
that  he  filled  that  office  while  bishop  of  Ely.  In  1493  be 
was  created  a  cardinal  by  pope  Alexander  VI.  by  the  title. 
Of  St.  Anagtasia.  In  Halt's  Chronicle  this  promotion  is 
placed  in  1489,  which  is  a  mistake. 

Cardinal  Morton's  high  favour  with  Henry  VII.  brought 
him  into  much  disrepute  with  the  people.  Henry  was 
parsimonious  and  avaricious,  and  in  the  choice  of  his  mi- 
nisters looked  much  to  their  capacity  for  raising  money. 
Accordingly,  the  cardinal  and  sir  Reginald  Bray,  being  the 
leading  men  in  the  privy  council,  the  odium  of  the  king's 
avarice  fell  upon  them ;  and  wben,  in  the  twelfth  year  of 
his  reign,  a  subsidy  was  levied  for  war  against  Scotland,' 
they  were  accused,  by  the  Cornish  insurgents,  as  the  pro- 
moters of  it. 

Leland  informs  us,  that,  while  archbishop,  he  employed 
his  fortune  in  building  and  repairing  his  houses  at  Canter* 
bury,  Lambeth,  Maidstone,  Allington  park,  and  Charing; 
and  at  Ford  he  almost  built  the  whole  house.  At  Oxford; 
too,  it  is  said  chat  he  repaired  the  canon-law  school,  com* 
pleted  tbe.  building  of  tkie  divinity  school,  and  the  re- 
building of  St.  Mary's  church;  in  all  which  places  his  arms 
were  formerly  to  be  seen,  as  they  are  at  this  day  on  the 
atone  tower  of  Wisbeche  church,  five  or  sfx  times,  either 
because  he  built  it,  which  is  not  improbable,  or  becausd 
he  was  a  benefactor  to  the  tower  which  thus  commemorated 
his  services. 


MORTON.  43* 

In  February  1494  he  was  elected  chancellor  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Oxford  ;  in  which  year  Fuller  says  he  greatly 
promoted  the  re-building  of  Rochester  bridge.  One  of  the 
last  acts  of  his  life  was  to  procure  the  canonization  of  Art-* 
selm  archbishop  of  Canterbury  ;  and  he  also  endeavoured, 
bat  without  effect,  to  procure  the  same  honour  for  bis  old 
master  Henry  VI.  He  died,  according  to  the  Canterbury 
^obituary,  Tuesday  16  kal.  Oct.;  but,  according  to  the  re^ 
gister  of  Ely,  Sept.  1 5,  1 500,  and  in  his  ninetieth  yean 
A«  he  had  provided  for  his  relations  in  his  life-time,  ha 
bequeathed  all  his  remaining  wealth  to  pious  uses,  or  to-  b* 
distributed  among  such  of  his  servants  as  bad  not  yet 
tasted  of  his  bounty.  He  founded  a  chauntry  at  Bere; 
bis  native  place,  with  a  chaplain,  who  was  to  officiate  for 
twenty  years;  and  for  the  same  space  of  timd  he  be-* 
queathed  exhibitions  for  poor  scholars  at  both  tbe  univer-» 
sities,  twenty  for  Oxford  and  ten  for  Cambridge.  H* 
was  interred  in  Canterbury  cathedral,  where  a  heavy  but 
sumptuous  monument  was  erected  to  his  rnertory.  His 
remains  were  afterwards  disturbed  by  the  falling*™  of  the 
pavement  upon  his  coffin,  and  some  of  them,  wrapt  up  in 
cerecloths,  were  carried  away  ;  and  the  head  being  almost* 
the  only  part  remaining,  it>  was  begged  of  archbishop 
Sheldon  in  1670,  by  Ralph  Sheldon  of  Beolie  in  Worces- 
tershire, esq.  who,  after  preserving  it  with  great  reverence* 
fill  his  death,  bequeathed  it  to  his  niece,  Mrs.  France* 
Sheldon,  one  of  the  maids  of  honour  to  Catherine  of 
Portugal,  wife  to  king  Charles  II.  What  became  of  this 
relic  afterwards  is  not  known. 

Archbishop  Morton's  character  is  highly  spoken  of  by 
his  contemporaries  and  successors,  as  a  statesman  of  great 
talents  and  a  man  of  learning,  probity,  liberality,  and 
spirit  His  life  was  written  by  Dr.  John  Budden  in  1607* 
8vo;  but  the  eulogiam  that  confers  most  honour  upon  hint 
is  that  which  occurs  in  sir  Thomas  More's  u  Utopia,**  and 
in  some  of  the  lives  of  that  illustrious  man,  who,  as  we 
have  noticed  in  our  account,  was  educated  by  Morton. 
Parker  may  also  be  consulted  in  his  "Antiq.  Eoclesiast.". 
Although  he  derived  much  unpopularity  from  the  high  fa-* 
your  he  enjoyed  with  king  Henry  VII.  yet  it  was  owing  to 
bis  advice  and  interference  that  the  exactions  made  by, 
that  monarch  were  not  far  more  severe ;  and  he  had  at  all 
times  the  courage  to  give  the  king  his  fair  and  honest  opi- 
nion on  such  measures.    The  life  of  Richard  III.  attri- 


446  MORTON. 

.  buted  to  Sir  Thomas  More,  is  said  to  have  been  wriUgif 
•     by  our  prelate.1 

MORTON  (Richard),  an  eminent  physician,  was  bora 
in  the  county  of  Suffolk ;  and  became  a  commoner  in 
JVl&gdalen-hall,  Oxford,  afterwards  one  of  the  chaplains  of 
New  college,  and.  M.  A.  On  leaving  the  university*,  where 
he  took  orders,  he  was  for  some  time  chaplain  in  the  family 
of  Foley,  in  Worcestershire.  Having,  however,  adopted 
the  principles  of  the  nonconformists,  he  found  it  necessary, 
after  the.  restoration  of  Charles  II.  to  abandon  the  profes- 
sion of  theology,  and.  adopted  that  of  medicine.  He  ac- 
cordingly was  admitted,  to  the  degree  of  doctor  in  this  fa- 
culty in  1670,*  having  in  that  year  accompanied  the  prince 
of  Orange  to  Oxford,  as. physician  to  his  person.  He  after* 
wards  settled  in  London,  became  a  fellow  of  the  college. of 
physicians,  and  obtained  a  large  share  of  city  practice,, 
He  died  at  his  house  in  Surrey,  in  1698.  The  works  of 
Dr..  Morton,  had  a  considerable  reputation,  but  they  lean 
too.  much  to  the  humoral  pathology,  which  was  prevalent 
in  that  age  ;  and  his  method  of  treatment  in  acute  diseases, 
is  now  generally  discarded.  His  first  publication  was  en- 
titled *' Phthisiologia,  seu  Exercitationes  de  Phtbisi,"  1689, 
8vo,  and  was  translated  into  English  in  1694.  In  this  at- 
tempt to  arrange  the  varieties  of  consumption,  the  distinc- 
tions, both  in  the  classification  and  the  indications  of  cure, 
are  complicated  and  obscure.     His  "  Pyretologia,  seu  Bfcc- 

.  ercitationes  de  Morbis  universalibus  acutis,"  published  .iu 
16917—1694,  2  vols.,  8vo,  of  which  some  account  is  given 
in  the  Philos.  Transactions,  No.  199,  contains  his  humoral 
doctrines  of  fermentation  and  the  agitations  of  the  animal 
spirits;  and  his  practice  was  an  unusual  extension  of  the 
cordial  and  stimulant  treatment  of  ajl  fevers,  and  a  more 
general  introduction  of  the  Peruvian  bark,  by  wbichjbe 
probably  contributed  to  prolong  the  reign  of  that  prejudi- 

.  cial  system.  His  works,  have  been  printed  collectively. at 
Amsterdam,  2  vols.  8vo,  and  at  Geneva,  Ley  den,  Venice, 
and  Lyons,  in  4to.8 

MORTON  (Thomas),  a  learned  English  bishop  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  was  of  the  same  family  with  cardinal 
«  < 

*  MS  Life  of  Cardinal  Morton,  drawn  up  by  the  Rev.  William  Cole  (an  ab- 
*    f tract  of  which  is  in  Bentham's  Ely).— Life  by  Budden.— Godwin  and  Parker.—* 

£oJlitrjs  Ecclesiastical  Hjsiory.— -More't  Life  of  Sir  Thomas  More,  Uc. 

*  Atb.  Ox.  vol.  II.— -Calamy.— Eloy,  Diet.  Hist*  de  Medicine.— Rees's  Cyclo* 
%edia. 


fciORTOtt  441 

ftfarton,am]  was  the  sixth  son  of  nineteen  childreu  of  Mr* 
Richard  Morton,  an  eminent  mercer  and  alderman  of  York* 
by  Elizabeth  Leedale  his  wife.  He  was  born  at  York, 
March  20, 1 564-,  and  was  first  educated  there  under  Mr.  Pol- 
len, and  afterwards  at  Halifax  under  Mr,  Maud.  In  1582 
be  was  sent  to  St.  John's  college  in  Cambridge,  and  placed 
under  the  tuition  of  Mr.  Anthony-  Higgon,  afterwards  dean 
of  Rippon,  who  left  him  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Henry  Nelson, 
afterwards  reetor  of  Hougham  in  Lincolnshire,  who  lived 
to  see  hiB  pupil  bishop  of  Durham,  and  many  years  after. 
In  the  beginning  of  November  1584,  he  was  chosen  to  a 
scholarship  of  Constable's  foundation,  peculiar  to  his  na- 
tive county  of  York  ;  and  in  1586  took  the  degree  of  ba- 
chelor of  arts,  and  in  1590  that  of  master,  having  per- 
formed the  exercises  requisite  to  each  degree  with  great 
applause.  He  continued  his  studies  at  his  father's  charge 
until  March  .1 7,  1592,  when  be  was  admitted  fellow,  of  the 
foundation  of  Dr.  Keyson,  merely  on  account  of  his  merit, 
agatmrt  eight  competitors  for  the  place.     About  the  same 

-  time  he  was  chosen  logic  lecturer  of  the  university,  which 
pfjice  he  discharged  with  great  skill  and  diligence,  as  ap- 
peared from  his  lectures  found  among  his  papers.  :  The 
same  year  be  was  ordained  deacon,  and  the  year  following 
priest  by  Richard  Howland,  bi&hop.of  Peterborough.     He 

.  continued  five  years  after  this  in  the  college,  pursuing  his 

'private  studies,  and  instructing  pupils.     In  1598  he  took 

the  degree  of  bachelor  of  divinity;  and  about  the  same 

» year  was  presented  to  the  rectory  of  Long  Marston  four 

<  miles  from  York.  He  was.  afterwards  made  chaplain  to  the 
earl  of  Huntingdon,  lord  president  of  the  North,  who  se- 
lected him  for  his  zeal  and  acuteness  in  disputing  with  the 
Romish' recusants.  It  was  queen  Elizabeth's  command  to 
his  lordship,  to  prefer  arguments  to  force  with  these  peo- 
ple :  and  this  she  expressed,  as  the  earl  used  to  say,  in  the 

*  words  of  scripture,  "  Nolo  mortem  peccatoris."  After-* 
wards,,  when  lord  Huntingdon  was  dead,  and  lord  Sheffield 
was  appointed  lord  president,  Morton  held  a  public  con- 

*  ference  before  bis  lordship  and  the  council,  at  the  manor-* 
bouse  at  York,  with  two  popish  recusants,  then  prisoners 
in  the  castle.     In  1602,  when  the  plague  raged  in  that 

.  city,  he  behaved  with  the  greatest  charity  and  resolution. 
The  year  following,  the  lord  Eure  being  appointed  ambas- 

*  sador-extraordinary  to  the  emperor  of  Germany,  and  king 
f>f  Pftimark,  Morton,  attended  him  as  chaplain,  along  with 


\ 


4m  MORTON. 

Mr.  Richard  Crakenthorp,  and  took  this  opportunity*  Cat 
make  a  valuable  collection  of  book*,  as  well  as  to  visit  the 
universities  of  Germany.  At  his  return  he  became  chap- 
lain to  Roger  earl  of  Rutland,  and  was  afterwards  presented 
by  archbishop  Matthews  to  a  prebend  in  the  cathedral  of 
York.  In  1606  he  took  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  ; 
and  about  the  same  time  was  sworn  chaplain  in  ordinary  tor 
king  James  I.  and  preferred  to  the  deanery  of  Gloucester, 
June  22,  1607.  While  he  was  dean  there,  the  lord  Eure 
above  mentioned,  then  lord  president  of  Wales,  appointed 
bim  one  of  his  majesty's  council  for  the  marches.  In  1609, 
be  was  removed  to  the  deanery  of  Winchester ;  and  while 
there,  the  bishop  (Brlson)  Collated  bim  to  the  rectory  of 
Alesford.  In  the  same  year,  Dr.  Sutcliff,  dean  of  Exeter, 
founding  a  college  at  Chelsea,  for  divines  to  be  employed 
in  defending  the  protestant  religion  against  the  papists,  be 
was  appointed  one  of  the  fellows.  About  this  time,  he 
became  acquainted  with  Isaac  Casaubon.  In  1615,  he 
was  advanced  to  the  see  of  Chester ;  and,  in  1619,  to  that 
of  Lichfield  and  Coventry :  about  which  time  he  became 
acquainted  with  Antonio  de  Dominis,  abp.  of  Spalato, 
whom  he  endeavoured  to  dissuade  from  returning  to  Rome; 
The  archbishop's  pretence  for  going  thither  was,  to  attempt 
an  unity  between  the  church  of  Rome  and  that  of  Eng- 
land, upon  those  terms  which  he  had  laid  down  in  hi9 
book  entitled  "  De  Republica  Christiana." 

While  Morton  sat  in  the  see  of  Coventry  and  Lichfield; 
which  was  above  fourteen  years,  he  educated,  ordained^ 
end  presented  to  a  living,  a  yputh  of  excellent  talents  and 

memory,  who  was  boru  blind  f*     He  also  acquired  no  little 

• 

*  Clark,  in  his  life  of  the  celebrated  shire,  and  maintained  at  the  grammar- 
Hebraist  B  rough  ton,  informs  us  that  school  at  Chester  by  bishop  Morton, 
when  Broughtoa  was  at  Meats,  Mor-  while  be  was  bishop  of  that  see,  and 
ton  paid  bim  many  visits*  and  listened  afterwards  sent  la  St,  John'*  college  m 
frith  much  eagerness  to  his  conversa-  Cambridge  by  that  prelate,  wbe  sup- 
lion.  A  love  for  instruction  inducing  ported  the  young  man  and  hi*  ancle, 
Itfbrtep  to  he  sometimes  more  inquisi-  who  had  the  care  of  him.  After  Ms& 
fixe  than  Br  ought  on  liked,  the  latter  Cannes  bad  taken  the  degree  ef  B.  A. 
stould  lose  his  temper,  and  call  him  the  bishop  took  him  into  bis  own  fa- 
flail  and  unlearned ;  but  Morton  on  mily,  and  rhere  instructed  him  in  f«« 
ewe  occasion  brought  him  into  perfect  whole  body  of  divinity,  and  oadeined 
good  humour,  by  saying,  "  I  pray  him,  and  placed  him  in  the  parish*, 
you,  whatsoever  doits  or  dullard*  I  am  church  of  Clifton  Canvi|e  m  Stafforo*- 
to  be  called,  call  me  to  before  we  be-  shire,  where  he  discharged  she  dutiea 
gin,  that  your  discourse  and  my  at-  of  bis  function  with  great  success,  be*, 
tenlion  be  not  interrupted ! "  ing  a  very  good  preacher,  and  sole  ta 

*f  This  youth,    whose  name   was  repeat  the  whole  Commov-Pnf  er,  by 

$togft  Grafter,  was  bora  in  JLanca-  heart  $  eu4  with,  regard  to  U*k*s*a»; 


M  6  R  t  6  ur.  4^ 

'  •  •  •  »  »  • 

reputation  by  delecting  the  imposture  of  the  famous  boy  Of 
fileon  hi  Staffordshire,  who  pretended  to  be  possessed  with 
a  devil ;  but  who,  in  reality,  was  only  suborned  by  some 
Romish  priests,  to  assume  the  appearanee  of  possession, 
according  to  the  common  notions  of  it,  for  the  sake  of  pro** 
footing  their  own  private  purposes.  In  1632,  he  was  trans* 
fated  to  the  bishopric  of  Durham,  which  he  bekl  with  great 
reputation  till  the  opening  of  the  Long-parliament,  when  hg 
met  with  great  insults  from  the  common  people,  and  wasf 
orrce  in  extreme  hazard  of  his  life  at  Westminster,  some 
crying,  "  Pull  bim  out  of  his  coach ;"  others,  «*  Nay,  h<* 
is  a  good  man  ;'*  others,  "  But  for  alt  that  be  is  a  bishop." 
He  used  often  to  say  that  he  believed  he  should  not  hare 
escaped  alive,  if  a  ringleader  among  the  rabble  bad  not 
cried  out,  "  let  him  go.  and  hang  himself."  He  was  theii 
committed  to  the  custody  of  the  usher  of  the  black  rod  ; 
and,  as  Whitlocke  tells  us,  "  April  1645,  was  brought  beJ 
fore  the  Commons  for  christening  a  child  in  the  old  way, 
and  signing  it  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  contrary  to  the 
directory ;  aud,  because  he  refused  to  deliver  up  the  seal 
of  the  county-palatine  of  Durham,  he  was  committed  to 
the  Tower.**  Here  he  continued  six  months,  and  then  re* 
turned  to  his  lodgings  at  Durham  -  house ;  the  parliament^ 
upon  the  dissolution  of  the  bishopries,  voted  him  an  an* 
nutty.  Whitlocke  informs  us,  that,  in  May  1649,  an  or* 
dinance  passed  for  900/.  per  annum  to  bishop  Morton  ;  but 
Barwick  observes,  that,  while  he  was  able  to  subsist  with* 
Out  it,  he  never  troubled  himself  with  looking  after  it; 
and,  at  last,  when  he  had  no  alternative  but  to  claim  this, 
Or  be  burtherisome  to  his  friends,  be  determined  upon  th6 
fortner,  and, procured  a  copy  of  the  vote,  but  found  it  tdi 
contain  no  more  than  that  such  a  sum  should  be  paid,  but 
no.  mention  either  by  whom  or  whence.  And  before  he 
could  obtain  an  explanation  of  the  order  to  make  the  pen* 
sion  payable  out  of  the  revenues  of  his  own  bishopric,  alt 
the  lands  and  revenues  of  it  were  sold  or  divided  among 
members  of  parliament  themselves.  Only  by  the  impor- 
tunity of  his  friends  be  procured  an  order  to  have  a  thoui 
aand  pounds  out  of  their  treasury  at  Goldsmiths'-hall,  with 
which  he  paid  his  debts,  and  purchased  to  himself  an  an* 
nuity  of  200/.  per  annum,  during  life;  which  annuity  wat$ 

out  of  th«  Otd  and  New  Testament,  he     over  to  him.  He  died  at  about  twenty* 
tamnitted  tbem  perfectly  to  memory,     six  years  of  age. 
Boon  bis  uncle's  twice  reading  them 


4*4 


MORTON. 


granted  at  first  by  the  lady  Saville,  in  the  niiuority  of  hei* 
son  sir  George,  and  afterwards  confirmed  by  himself  whett 
he  came  to  be  of  age.  At  last  he  was  obliged  to  quit 
purham-yard,  by  the  soldiers  who  came  to  garrison  it,  a 
little  before  the  death  of  Charles  I. ;  and  then  went  to 
Exeter-house  in  the  Strand,  at  the  invitation  of  the  earl  o^ 
Rutland,  where  he  continued  but  a  short  time.  After  se- 
veral removals,  he  took  up  his  abode  with  sir  Henry  Yel- 
verton,  at  Easton  Mauduit  in  Northamptonshire,  where  he 
died  Sept.  22, 1659,  in  his  ninety-fifth  year.  His  funeral 
sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  John  Barwick,  afterwards  dean 
of  St.  Paul's,  and  printed  at  London,  in  1660,  under  this 
title,  "  IEPONIKH2 :  or,  The  Fight,  Victory,  and  Triuo*pS, 
of  St.  Paul,  accommodated  to  the  Right  Rev.  Father  in 
God,  Thomas,  late  Lord  Bishop  of  Duresnje."  , 

Bishop  Morton  was  of  low  stature,  but  of  an  excellent 
constitution,  which  he  preserved  to  the  last.  Dr.  Bar*. 
wick  represents  him  as  a  man  of  extensive  learning,  great 
piety,  hospitality,  and  charity,  and  of  great  temperance 
and  moderation  in  matters  of  controversy.  He  carried  otv 
an  extensive  correspondence  with  the  learned  men  of  his 
time,  and  was  himself  distinguished  for  his  liberal  patron-* 
age  of  such*  He  was  particularly  the  friend  and  patron  of 
the  celebrated  Dr.  Donne.  On  one  occasion  he  gavq 
Donne  a  sum  of  money,  saying,  "  Here  Mr.  Donne,  take 
this,,  gold  is  restorative  :"  Donne  replied,  "  Sir,  I  doubt  t 
shall  never  restore  it  back  again/'  Bishop  Morton's  greateaf 
blemish  seems  to  have  been  his  acceding  to,  or,  in  truth,  irt 
some  measure  drawing  up,  king  James's  declaration,  usually 
called  the  "  Book  of  Sports,"  allowing  and  enjoiniug  pub- 
lic amusements  on  Sunday,  by  way  of  counteracting  the . 
endeavours  of  the  popish  party,  who  countenapced  sucl* 
amusements  in  order  to  dnlw  the  people  from  the  church. 
By  this  .declaration,  the  appearing  at  church  was  made  a 
qualification  for  the  sports,  an  absurdity  so  gross,  as  tq  be 
equalled  only  by  the  injustice  of  compelling  clergymen  to, 
proclaim  it  in  the  pulpit.  The  readers  will  find  this  co- 
pious-law  in  the  note*,  and  we  are  sorry  fo  add,  on  the 


•  1.  ••  That  all  unlawful  games 
should  be  prohibited  on  Sundays,  as 
Jbear  and  bull- baiting,  inter  I  odes,  and 
bowling  at  all  times  by  law  prohibited 
to  the  meaner  sort  of  people."  2. 
••That  all  such  known  recusants,  either 
jneu  or  women,   *s  abstained   from. 


coming  to  church  6r  divine  service^, 
shall  be  barred  from  this  benefit  aad 
liberty  »  they  being  therefore  unworthv 
of  any  lawful  recreation  after  the  said 
service,  that  will,  not  .first  come- to 
church  and  serve  God."  3.  "  All  that, 
though  conformists  »  religion,  s*eaoA 


MORTON.  445 

authority  of  Dr.  Bartvick,  that  all  the  articles. but  one, 
which  he  thinks  was  the  first,  were  originally  drawn  up  by 
bishpp  Morton. 

The  works  of  this  prelate  were,  i.  "  Apologia  Catho- 
lic*," part  I.  Lond.  1605,  4to,  dedicated  to  Dr.  Richard 
Bancroft,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  2.  ".An  exact  Dis- 
covery of  Romish  Doctrine  in  the  case  of  Conspiracy  and 
Rebellion  ;  or  Romish  Positions  and  Practices,"  &c.  Lond. 

1605,  4to,  occasioned,  by  the  discovery  of  the  gunpowder- 
treason-plot.      3.  "Apologia  Catholica,"  part  II.   Lond. 

1606,  4to.  4.  "  A  full  Satisfaction  concerning  a  double 
Romish  Iniquitie,  hakious  Rebellion,  and  more  than  hea- 
thenish ^Equivocation  ;  containing  three  parts.  The  two 
former  belong  to  the  Reply  upon  the  Moderate  Answer:  the 
first  for  confirmation  of  the  discovery  in  these  two  points, 
treason  and  equivocation  :  the  second  is  a  justification  of 
protestants  touching  the  same  points.  The  third  part  is  a 
large  discourse  confuting  the  reasons  and  grounds  of  other 
priests,  both  in  the  case  of  rebellion  and  equivocation: 
published  by  authorise,"  Lond.  1606,  4to.  Father  Robert 
Parsons,  the  Jesuit,  undertook  to  vindicate  his  friend,  the. 
writer  of  the  "  Moderate  Answer:"  in  a  book  published 
under  the  name  of  P.  R.  and  entitled  "  A  Treatise,  tending 
to  Mitigation  towards  Catholic  subjects  in  England,  against 
Thoi  Morton,"  1607,  4'to;  To  this  our  author  returned  an . 
answer,  entitled,  5.  "  A  Preamble  unto  an  Incountet*  with 
P.  R*  the  author  of  the  deceitful  Treatise  of  Mitigation,? 
Lond,  1608,  4to.     To  this  book  and  some  others  of  our 

present  at  church  at  the  service  of  at  that  time,  as  they  were  then  wrought 

God  before  their  going  to  the  said  re-  upon  by  some  emissaries  of  the  Romish 

creations/3  were  also  debarred   that  party,  will  easily  see  and  grant,  that 

liberty.     4.  "  All  each  as,  in  abase  of.  this  was  in  ail  probability  the  likeliest 

this  liberty,  should  us>  these  exercises  course  to  bring  them  to  church  to  serve 

be/ore  the  end  of  all  divine  services  for  God,  and  to  be  instructed  out  of  his 

that  day,  were  to  be  presented  and  .word;  and  consequently. to  stop  the. 

.sharply  punished."    5.  *'  That  every  current  both  of  popery'  and  prophane- 

person  should  resort  to  his  own  parish-  ness,  by  allowing  them  a  small  latitude 

church, to   hear  divine   service."    6.  for  innocent  recreations  thus,  limited 

"That  each  parish  by  itself  should  and  bounded  ....  All  the  arguments  • 

use  the  said  recreation  after  divine  ser-  I  could  ever  yet  see  urged  against  the 

■vice."     7.  **  That  no  offensive  wea-  lawfulness  of  what  is  permitted  by  this 

penis  Should  be  carried  or  used  in  the  declaration  (taking  it  as  it  is  still,  aiid 

srfid  times  of  recreation."    Dr.  Bar-  ever  was  restrained  by  these'  limita- 

wick,    who    shews  as  much  want  of  tlons  and  conditions),  are  grounded  up". 

judgment  as    the   bishop,  observes  ;  On  no  other  bottom  for  the  most  part* 

«•  tMihe  that  shall  dury  consider  these  than  the  bare  name  of  Sabbath,  as  it 

restrictions,    and  compare   them  with'  is  applied',  or  misapplied  to  the  Lor  fy 

fae  temper  of  the  people  in  those  parts  Day ." 


***  MORTON* 

.author,  father  Parsons  bavmg  made  a  reply  under  the  title 
x>f  "  A  sober  Beckooiog  j^ith  Mr.  Tho*  Morton,"  printed 
in  1609,  4to  ;  the  latter  wrote,  6.  "  The  Encounter  agaio& 
Mr.  Parsons,"  Lfcnd.  160£,  4to.  7.  ■"  An  Auswer  to  the 
.scandalous  Exceptions  q£  Theophilus  H-iggons,"  London* 
1609,  4to.  8.  "  A  Catholike  AppeaJe  for  Protestants  out 
of  the  Confessions  of  the  Roroane  Doctors,  particularly 
.answering  the  misnamed  Catholike  Apologie  for  the  Ra- 
4nane  Faith  out  of  the  Protestants  *,  manifesting  the  aiiti- 
quitie  of  our  Religion,  and  satisfying  all  scrupulous  objeo- 
iions,  which  have  been  urged  against  it,"  Land.  1610,  folk 
He  was  engaged  in  writing  this  work  by  archbishop  Bail* 
croft*  as  he  observes  in  his  dedication;  and  Dr.  Thomas 
James  took  the  pains  to  examine  some  of  his  quotations  in 
.the  Bodleian  library.  It  has  never  yet  been  answered.  9. 
'?  A  Defence  of  the  Innocencie  of  the  three  Ceremonies 
of  the  Church  of  England,  viz.  the  Surplice,  Crosse  after 
Baptisme,  and  Kneeling  at  the  receiving  of  the  blessed 
Sacrament  Divided  into  two  parts.  In  the  former  whereof 
the  generall  arguments  urged  by  the  nonconformists,  and 
in  the  latter  part  their  particular  accusations  against  these 
.three  ceremonies,  are  severally  answered  and  refuted*  Pub- 
lished by  authority."  Second  edit.  London,  1619,  in  4to. 
This  was  attacked  by  an  anonymous  author,  generally  sup- 
posed to  be  Mr.  William  Ames;  which  occasioned  a  De- 
fence of  it,  written:  by  Dr.  John  Surges  of  Sutton  Cole* 
field  in  Warwickshire,  and  printed  at  London  in  1631,  4 to, 
under  the  title  of  "  An  Answer  to  a  Pamphlet  entitled  A 
Reply  to  Dr.  Morton's  general  Defence  of  three  innocent 
Ceremonies/*  10.  "  Causa  Regia,***  London,  >620,  4tof 
written  against  cardinal  Bellarmin's  book,  "  De  Officio 
Principis  Christiani."  11;"  The  Grand  Imposture  of  the 
,now  Church  of  Rome,  concerning  this  Article  of  their 
Greed,  The  holy  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Roman  Churcb." 
The  second  edition  enlarged  whs  printed  at  London  in 
1628,  4to.  Thene  was  an  answer  published' to  this,  undeur 
the  name  of  J.  S.  and  entitled  "  Anti-Mortonus-."  12.  "Of 
the  Institution  of  the  Sacrament,  &c.  by  some  called  thp 
Mass,"  &c.  Lond.  1631,  reprinted  with  additions  in  1635, 
folio.  As  some  strictures  were  published  on  the  first  edi- 
tion by  a  Romish  author,  under  the  name  of  an  English 
baron,  Dr.  Morton  replied  in,  1 3.  **  A  Discharge  *©f 


• .  ■  .  i 

*  The  author  of  this  was  oae  Anderton,  who  assumed  (be  name  of  BrereJyv 


MORTON.  **f 

« 

Imputations  of  Mis- allegations  charged  upon  the  bishop  of 
Duresme  by  an  English  baron/9  Loudon,  1633,  8vo.     14. 
u  Antidotum   adversus    Ecclesiae  .Roman®  de  Merko  en 
Condigno  Venenum,"  Cambridge,  1637,  4ta     15.  "  Rev 
plica  aive  Refutatio  Confutationis  C.  R."  Lond*  163£,  4to, 
This  is  an  answer  to  a  piece  published  by  C.  R.  who  waft 
supposed  to  be  the  bishop  of  Chalcedon,  agaiust  the  first 
part  of  our  author's  Catholic  Apology.      16.    A  Sermon 
preached  before  the  king  at  Newcastle,  upon  Rom.  xiii.  I*. 
Lond.  1,639,  4to.     17.  "  De  Eucharistia  Controversise  De- 
icisio/1  Cambridge,  1640,  4to.     18.  "  A  Sermon  on  the 
Resurrection,"  preached  at  the  Spittle  in  London  April  24. 
.Loud.  1641,  8vo,     19.  A  Sermon  preached  at  St.  Paul's 
June  19,  1642,  upon  1  Cor.  xL  16.  and  entitled  "The  Pre* 
sentment  of  a  Schismatick,"  Lond.  1642,  4to.    20.  *'  Con- 
fessions and  Proofs  of  Protestant  Divines,"  &c<  Oxford, 
1644,  4to,  published  without  his  name  or  knowledge  of  its, 
and  written  in  defence  of  episcopal  government,  and  sen* 
to  archbishop  Usher,  who  committed,  it  to  the  press  with 
some  other  excellent  collections  of  his  own  upon  the  same 
subject     21.  "  Ezekiel's  Wheels,"  &c;  Lond.  1653,  in  Sv<*. 
The  subject  of  this  book  is  meditations  upon  God's  Provi- 
.dence.     Besides  these  printed  works,  he  left  a  consider- 
able number  of  manuscripts,  "  some  in  my  custody,"  says 
Dr.  Barwiqk,  "which  1  found  by  him  at  his  death ;  and  some 
.(that  I  hear  of )  in  the  hands  of  others  :  all  of  them  once 
intended  for  the  press,  whereof  some  have  lost  their  first 
.perfection  by  the  carelessness  and  negligence  of  some  that 
should  have  kept  them ;  others  want  his  last  hand  and  eye 
.to  perfect  them  ;  and  others  only  a  seasonable  time  to  pub- 
.  lish  them.     And  he  might  and  would  have  left  many  more* 
considering  bow  vigorous  his  parts  were  even  in  bis  extreme 
fi\d  age,  if  the  iniquity  of  the  times  had  not  deprived  him 
.of  most  of  bis  notes  and  papers."     Among  these  unpur>- 
-lisbed  MSS.  were:  1.  "Tractatus  de  externo  Judice  in- 
iallibili  ad  Doctores  Pontificios,  imprimis  veto  ad  Sacer- 
dotes  Wisbicenses."     2.  "  Tractatus  de  Justificatione.** 
Two  copies,  both  imperfect     3.  "  Some  Papers  written 
upon  the  Controversy  between  bishop  Montague  and  the 
Gagger."     4.  "  A  Latin  edition  of  his  book  called  fbe 
Grand  Imposture"  Imperfect   5,  Another  edition,  of  both 
the  parts  of  his  book  called  "  Apologia  Catholica."  6.  "  An 
Answer  to  J.  S.  his  Anti-iMortonus."  Imperfect     7.  Hi? 
treatise  concerning  Episcopacy  above  mentioned,  revised 


44S  Jkl  O  R  T  O  N, 

•fid  enlarged.  8;  A  treatise  concerning  Prayer  in  aii  tin* 
known  tongue.  9.  A  Defence  of  Infants'  Baptism  against 
Mr.  Tombes  and  others*  -  10.  Several  Sermons.  1 1.  "  A 
Relation  of  the  Conference  held  at  York  by  our  author", 
with  Mr.  Young  and  Mr.  Stiliington  ;  and  a  farther  con* 
futation  of  R.  G\  in  defence  of  the  Articles  of  the  church 
of  England."  Almost  the  last  act  of  his  life  was  to  procure 
from  the  few  remaining  bishops  in  England,  a  refutation 
of  the  iable  of  the  Nag's  Head  ordination,  which  was  re* 
vived  by  some  of  the  popish  persuasion-  in  1 658.  What  he 
procured  on  the  subject  was  afterwards  published  by  bishop 
Bramhal.1 

MORYSIN,  or  MORISON  (Sir  Richard),  a  statesman 
of  great  learning,  prudence,  and  integrity,  is  supposed  by 
some  to  have  been  born  in  Essex,  and  by  others  in  Oxv 
ford  shire  ;  biit  the  visitations!  of  Hertfordshire  inform  us 
that  he  was  the  son  of: Thomas  Morysin  of  that  county 
(descended  from  a  Yorkshire  family),  by  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Merrey.  or!  Hatfield.  WooiL  having  Supposed  hirit 
born  in  Oxfordshire,  asserts  that  he  spent  several  years  at 
Oxford  university,  in  "  Logicals  and  philosbpbicals,"  2nd 
took  a  degree  in  arts.  But  Mr.  Lodge  says  that  be  was. 
educated  at  Eton,  and  in  the  university  of  Cambridge* 
from  whence  he  went,  with  the  reputation  of  an  excellent 
Greek  and  Latin  scholar,  to  the  inns  of  court,  where  he 
became  a  proficient  in  the  common  and  civil  law.  Accord- 
ing, however,  to  Wood  and  others,  he»had  previously  to 
this,  travelled  to  Italy,  with  an  intention  to  improve  his* 
knowledge  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages.  Padua,  in 
particular,  was  one  of  the  places  he  visited,  and  he  re- 
mained there  until  1537,  and  soon  after  his  return  was 
made  prebendary  of  Yatminster  Secunda  in  the  cburfch  df 
Salisbury,  which  dignity  he  kept  until  1539.  Aboot  !54It 
Henry-  VIII.  is  said  to  have  given  him  the  library  belong* 
ing  to  the  Carmelites  in  London.  The  same  sovereign  sent 
him  ambassador  to  the  emperor  Charles  V.  and  he  had  ac~, 
quired  by  long  habit,  so  thorough  a  knowledge  of  the  va- 
rious factions  which  distracted  the  empire,  that  the  mini- 
sters of  king  Edward  VI.  found  it  necessary  to  continue 
him  in  that  court  much  against  <h is  inclination.  In  1549 
he  was  joined  with  the  earl  of  Warwick,  viscount  Lisle,  sit 

'  .  ,  '      .  -  r 

1  Life  bv  Barwick,  1660,  4to,  and  by  R.  B.  and  J.  N.  i.  e,  Richard  IUddilr*' 
•vd  John  Naylor,  1669,  8vo.— Biog.  Brit.  '  F 


MORYS.IN.  .  4*fr 

WiHiam<  Paget,  sir  Wiiliam  Petre,  bishops  Holbeach.  and. 
Hether  and  other  peonages,  in  a  commission  to  hold  a: 
visitation  at  Oxford-,  in  order  to  promote  the  reformation:,; 
and  their  commission  also  extended  to  the  chapel  of  Wind*; 
sot  and ,  W  inchester  college.    The  celebrated  Peter  Martyr 
preached  before  them,  on  their  entering  an  business,  and 
was- much  noticed  and  patronized  by  Morysin.     From  Ed- 
ward VI.  he  received  the  honour  of  knighthood,  and.ap-: 
pears  to  hare  gone  again  abroad,  as  Mr.  Lodge,  gives  us  a; 
long  letter  from  him  relating  to  the  affairs  of  the  imperial 
court,  dated  Brussels,  Feb,  20,  1553.     He  returned  not 
long  before  that  prince's  death,  and  was  employed  in  build- 
ing a  superb  mansion  at  Casbiobury,  in  Hertfordshire,  a 
manor  which  had  been  granted  to  him  by  Henry  VIII.. 
when  queen  Mary>  violent  measures '» against  the  pro-i 
testants  compelled  him  to  quit  England,  and  after  residing 
a  short  time  in  Italy,  he  returned  to  Strasburgh*  and  died 
there,  March  17,  1556.     He. married  Bridget,  daughter 
of  John  lord  Hussey,  and  left  a  son  and  three  xlaughters :; 
sir  Charles,  who  settled  at  Cashiobury ;  JEliaabeth,  mar*, 
ried,  first,  to  William.  Norreys,  son  arid  heir  to  Henry . 
lord  Nor  reys ;  secondly,  to  Henry.  Clinton,  ear]  of  Lin- 
coln;   Mary,  to  Bartholomew  Hales,,  of  Chesterfield   in 
Derbyshire ;  and  Jane,  to  Edward  lord  Russet,  eldest  sou 
of  the  earl  of  Bedford,  .and.  afterwards  to 'Arthur  lord 
Grey, of  Wilton.     The  family  <  of  Morysin  ended  in  an 
heiress,  Mary  (great  grand-daughter  of  sic  Richard),  who. 
married  Arthur  lord  Capel  of  Hadham,  an  ancestor  of  the 
present  earl  of  Essex. 

Sir  Richard  Morysin  wrote,  1.  "  Apomaxis  calumnia- 
rnm  convitiorumque,  quibus  Joannes  Cocbleeus  hqmatheo- 
logus,  &c.  Henrici  VIII.  nomen  obscurare,  &c.  epistola 
ttudnit,"  Lond.  1537,  4to.  To  this  Cochlaeus  answered 
in.  his  "  Scbpa  in  araneas  Ricardi  Mory  si  ni,"  Leipsic, 
1638,  4to,  in  which  he  is  ?ery  severe  on  Henry  and 
his  defender,  and  has.  much  the  best  of  the  argument 
in  his  second  and  fourth  chapters,  which  treat  on  the  . 
king's  divorce,  and  on  the  violent  death  of  More,  al- 
though his  style  is  coarse.  (See  Cochl^us,  where  Mo- 
rysin is  improperly  called  D.  D.)  2.  "An  exhortation  to 
stiff  «p  Englishmen  in  defence  of  their  country,"  Loud. 
J 539,  8vo.  3.  "Invective  against  the  great  and  detesta- 
ble vice,  .Treason,"  ibid.  1539,  Svo.  4«.  "  Comfortable  con- 
solation for  the  birth  of  prince  Edward,  rather  than  sorrow 
Vol.  XXII.  G  <a 


450  MORT  9  ON. 

jfbr  the  death  df  qneen  J*net'*  .  Bote,  ascribes  othgr  pieces' 
to  him,  and  some  translations.  In  Ayscough's  Catajogud* 
and  in  the  Harleian  collection  .are  some  of  hit  MS  letters, 
maxims,  add  sayings.  * 

MORYSON  (Fines)  v  a  native  o£  Lincolnshire,  wis  bora 
in  1566,  and  educated  in  the  university  of  Cambridge*  of 
which  he  became  a  fellow,  and  studied  civil  law*  Obtain** 
ing  from  the  master  and  fellows  of  his  house  a  licence  to 
travel,  be  set  out,  and  spent  about  ten  years  abroad.  He 
had  previously  been  incorporated  Mb  A.  in  the  university, 
of  Oxford*.  Soon  after  his.  return  be  went  to  Iceland  ia> 
1 59$,  where  bis  brother,  sir  Richard  Moryson,  was  vice-* 
president  of  Muiister,  and  waa  there  made  secretary  to  the 
lord  deputy,  sir  Charles  Blount,  lord  Mountjoyw  He  died 
about  1614,  and  three  years  after,  his  travels  appeared 
under  the  title  of  "  An  Itinerary,  containing  ten  years  tws-r 
vels  through  the  twelve  dominions  of  Germany,"  &c* 
Loud.  1&17*  folio.  This  waa  first  written  iri  Latin,  but 
afterwards  translated  by  himself  into  English.  He  is  also 
the  author  of  "  An  History  of  belted  from  1599  to  1603  ; 
with  a  short  narration  of  the  state  of  the  kingdom  from  the 
year  1 169,"  2.  vols.  8vo.  The  only  copy  we  hove  seen  of 
this  work  (to  which  Harris  give*  no  date)  is  dated  Dublin, 
17S5.* 

MOSCHUS  and  BION,  for  they  have  usually  been 
joined  together,  were  two  Grecian  poets  of  antiquity,  who 
flourished  about  200  years  B»  C.  and  were  contemporaries 
of  Theocritus.  The  prodigious  credit  of  Theocritus  as  * 
pastoral  poet  enabled  him  to  engross  not  only  the  fame  of 
his  rivals,  but  their  works  too,  In  the  time  of  the  hitter 
Grecians,  all  the  ancient  idylliutns  were  heaped  together 
into  oqe  collection,  and  Theocritus? i  name  prefixed  to  the 
whole  volume ;  but  learned  men  having  adjudged  dome  of  the 
pieces  to  their  proper  <wneri,  the  claims  of  Itfbschus  and 
Bion  have  been  admilted  to  a  few  little  pieces^  sufficient 
to  make  us  inquisitive  aboot  their  ch^fccter  and  story. 
Yet  all  that  can  be  known  of  them  must  be  collected  from 
their  own  small  remains;  for  Moschus,  by  composing  ma 
exquisite  "Elegy  on  Bion,19  has  given  the  best  memorials  of 
Biou's  life*  as  well  as  the  m$st perfect  compositional  its  kind* 
We  Iiearn  from  it,  that  Bion  was  of  Smyrna,  that  he  was  a 
pastoral  poet,  and  that  he  unhappily  perished  by  poison,  and^ 

i  Tanner.— Bale— Ath.  Ox.  vol.  I.  .new  edit*— Lloyd's  State  Worthiest— 
Lodge's  111  ustrationt.-*- Wood's  Annals. 
*  Ath.  Ox.  T©1. 1.— Harris's  edition  of  Ware. 


M  4  3  G  f)  ITS.  451 

» tt  ditfuld  **&&,  hot  accidentally,  but  by  the  Command 
erf  $Onte  grdtt  pttsoft.  Mefcchus  find  Theocritus  have  by 
a&toi  'critic  been  supposed  thfc  same  petfson;  but  tberd 
are  irrefragable  testimonies  against  it  Moschtls,  in  the 
w  Elegy  Ob  Bion,"  introduces  Theocritus  bewailing  the 
same  urisfoYtane  in  another  country ;  and  Servius  says  that 
Vfrgtl  chose  t6  imitate  Theocritus  preferably  to  Moschus, 
and  othets  who  had  written  pastorals.  Some  will  have  it? 
that  Moschus,  iis  well  as  Bion,  fivedt  later  than  Theocritus,' 
upon  the  authority  of  Stridas,  who  affirms  Moschus  to  have 
been  the  scholar  of  Aristarchtis,  in  the  reign  of  Ptolemy 
Philoruetor j  While  others  suppose  him  to  h*v6  been  the 
tfchbUr  67  BToh,  and  probably  his  successor  in  governing 
thfc  poetic  schobL  The  latter  supposition  is  collected  from 
th€  elegy  of  Moschus,  and  does  not  seem  improbable. 
The  few  but  inimitable  remains  of  these  two  poets  are  to 
be  found  in  all  editions  of  the  "  Poets  Minores,"  and  of 
separate  editions  there  are  some  Very  valuable  ones,  par- 
ticularly the  rare  and  curibus  one  of  Mekerchus,  printeA 
at  Bruges,  1565,  4t6;  and  those  of  Schwebelius,  Venice, 
1746,  8v6 ;  of  Heslin,  Oxford,  174B,  8vo,  tod  <rf  Gil- 
bert WdkefieH,  I7§5,  Svo.1 

MOSfeR  (George  Michael),  in  artist  of  much  reputa* 
tion  and  liable  character,  was  bom  at  ShafhaUseA,  ih 
3wttzii*aftd,  in  1705.  Whfch  young,  he  visited  a  distant 
C&ntoh,  where  he  met  with  One  of  his  townsmen,  and 
being  inclined  to  travel,  was  soon  persuaded  to  m&ke  a 
tour  to  England,  and  followed  the  profession  of  a  cha* 
ser  in  gold,  in  which  art  h6  was  always  considered  as 
holding  the  first  rank.  But  his  skill  was  not  confined  to 
this  alone;  he  possessed  an  universal  knowledge  in  all 
branches  of  painting  and  sculpture,  which  perfectly  quali- 
fied him  for  the  place  of  Keeper,  to  which  he  was  appointed 
when  the  Royal  Academy  Was  first  instituted  in  1768,  the 
business  of  wh^ch  principally  consists  in  superintending 
and  instructing  the  Students,  who  draw  or  model  from  the 
antique  figures.  He  may  be  truly  said  to  have  been  the 
father  of  the  present  race  of  artists ;  for  long  before  the 
rOyal  academy  was  established,  he  presided  over  the  little 
societies  which  met  6r*t  in  Salisbury  court,  and  afterward* 
in  St.  M&rtln's-lane,  where  they  drew  from  living  models,  * 
Perhaps  nothing  that  can  be  said  will  more  strongly  imply 

»  F*br.  Bibl.  Gr»c,— DiMin's  Classics.— Du  Ms' «  Wfestb,"  1796,  8ro. 

Cfi2 


452  MOSER. 

his  amiable  disposition,  than  that  all  the  different  societies 
with  which  he  was  connected,  always  turned  their  eyes* 
upon,  him  for  their  treasurer  and  chief  manager ;  when,: 
perhaps,  they  would  not  have  contentedly  submitted  to  any 
other  authority.  His  early  society  was  composed  of  men' 
whose  names  are  well  known  in  the  world;  such  as  Ho- 
garth, Rysbrach,  Roubiliac,  Wills,  Ellis,  Vanderbank,  &c. ; 
and  though  he  outlived  all  the  companions  of  his  youth,  he 
might  to  the  last  have  boasted  of  a  succession  equally  nu- 
merous ;  for  all  that  knew  him  were  his  friends.  r 

As  an  artist,  his  abilities  were  not  confined  merely  to 
chasing ;  be  might  also  be  considered  as  one  of  our  best 
medallists,  and  painted  in  enamel  with .  great  beauty  and 
accuracy,  and  many  of  his  productions,  particularly  som$ 
watch-cases,  were  most  elegant  and  classical  in  (heir  en- 
richments. He  was  also  well  skilled  in  the  construction  of 
the  human  figure. 

.When  appointed  keeper  of  the  royal  academy,  his  con- 
duct was  exemplary,  and  worthy  to  be  imitated  by  who- 
ever shall  succeed  him  in  that  office.  As  he  loved  the 
employment  of  teaching,  he  could  not  fail  of  discharging 
that  duty  with  diligence.  By  the  propriety  of  his  conduct 
be  united  the  love  and  respect  of  .the  students;  he  kept 
order  in  the  academy,  and  made  himself  respected,  with- 
out the  austerity  or  importance  of  office:  all  noise  and 
tumult  immediately  ceased  on  his.  appearance ;  at  the  same 
time  there  was  nothing  forbidding  in  his  manner,  which 
might  restrain  the  pupil*  from  freely  applying  tp  him  for 
advice  or  assistance.  All  this  excellence,  says  sir  Joshua 
Reynold?,  had  a  firm  foundation ;  he  was  a  man  of  sincere 
and  ardent  piety,  and  has  left  an  illustrious  example  of  the 
exactness  with  which  rthe  subordinate  duties  may  be  ex- 
pected to  be  discharged  by  him  whose  first  care  is  to  please 
God.  Few  men  have  passed  a  more  inoffensive,  or  per- 
haps a  more  happy  life ;  if  happiness  or  enjoyment  of  life 
consists  in  having  the  mind  always  occupied;  always  intent 
upon  some  useful  art,  by  which  fame  and  distinction  may 
be  acquired.  Mr.  Moser's  whole  attention  was  absorbed,, 
either  i  in  practice,  or  something  that  related  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  art 

Mr.  Moser  died  at  his  apartments  in  Somerset-place, 
Jan.  24,  1783,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age,  leav- 
ing one  daughter,  who  has  distinguished  herself  by  the 
admirable  manner  in  which  she  paints  and  composes  pieces 
of  flowers,  of  which  many  samples  have  been  seen  in  the 


M  O  S  E  R.  453 

exhibitions.  She  has  had  the  honour  of  being  much  em* 
ployed  in  this  way  by  their  Majesties,  and  for  her  extra- 
ordinary merit  has  been  received. into  the  royal. academy. 
She  married  a  gentleman  some  years  ago  of  the  name  of 
Lloyd,  but  is  now  a  widow. * 

MOSES  (Chorenensis),  a  celebrated  Armenian  arch- 
bishop, who  flourished  about  the  year  462,  was  esteemed 
one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  his  nation,  having  studied 
Greek  at  Athfcns,  from  which  language  he  made  many  ver- 
sions into  the  Armenian.  His  principal  work  is  U  A  His- 
tory of  Armenia*"  from  the  deluge  to  the  middle  of  the 
fifth  century,  first  published  in  Armenian  in  1695,  by 
Thomas  Vanandensis,  an  Armenian  bishop,  from  one  sin- 
gle manuscript,  and  that  a  very  faulty  one:  it  was  re- 
printed with  a  Latin  version,  in  1736,  by  William  and 
George,  the  sons  of  the  famous  William  Whiston*  with  a 
preface  concerning  the  literature  of  the  Armenians,  and 
their  version  of  the  Bible ;  and  an  appendix  containing  two 
epistles,  the  one  of  the  Corinthians  to  Paul  the  Apostle, 
the  other  of  Paul  the  Apostle  to  the  Corinthians,  entire, 
from  a  MS.  4to.  Of  Moses,  Messrs.  Whiston  say  that  be 
appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  probity,  simplicity,  and 
sincerity,  but  of  moderate  learning,  and  rather  too  cre- 
dulous. They  think  it  was  written  in  the  latter  end  of  tbe> 
fifth  century.  They  speak  also  of  "  An  Abridgment  of 
Geography/9  published  at  Amsterdam  in  1668 ;  and  some 
"Sacred  Canticles/9  to  be  sung  in  the  Armenian  language 
on  the  anniversary  of  Christ's  presentation  at  the  temple* 
His  history  was  the  first  book  published  in  England  in  the 
Armenian  language,  at  a  time  when  no  person  here  under- 
stood that  language,  and  but  two  on  the  continent,  La 
4Hroze,  librarian  to  the  king  of  Prussia,  and  Schroder,  pro* 
■feasor  of  the  Oriental  languages  at  Marpurg  in  Germany. 
It  is  a  work  now.  of  rare  occurrence.  * 
'  MOSflEIM  (John  Lawrence),  an  illustrious  German 
divine,  was  born  at  Ltfbeck,  in  1695,  of  a  noble  family; 
which  might  seem  to  open,  to  his  airibitton  a  fair  path  to 
-civil  promotion ;  but  his  zeal  for  the  interests  of  religion, 
bis  thirst  after  knowledge,  and  particularly  his  taite  for 
sacred  literature,  induced,  him  to  consecrate  his  talents  to 
the  service,  of  the  church.    Where  he  was  educated  we  have 

m 

1  Edwards's  Supplement  to  Walpole.— Character  by  sir  Joshua  Reynolds^  in 
Malone's  and  Northcote's  lives  of  that  eminent  artist  - 
•  ,  *  Preface  to  Whiston*  s  edition. 


454  M  Q  3  H  S  I  M. 

net  learned ;  but  he  i*  said  to  bajre  given  ewty  wfotttaoa 
of  a  pnoaiuog  capacity,  apid  qf  *  &trpi*g  dqsMt  tf  wwftl 
ami  literary  improvement ;  aod>  wh*i>  biiptiftiitapwpftfed 
to  him  the  choice  of  a  profession,  the  church  sngg£s$ni 
itself  to  him  as  a  proper  department  for  the  Gxerciseof  tbfcl 
zeal  which  disposed  him  to  be .  meful  t*  society.  Being 
ordained  a  minister  in  the  Lutheran  church,  he  aopo  di** 
tingiiiwhed  himself  as  an  eloquent  and  Useful  pgeacher. 
His  reputation  in  this  character,  however*  was  lppfcl  a&4 
confined,  but  the  fame  of  his  literary  ability  diffused:  itself 
among  all  the  nations  of  Christendom.  The  German  ijni- 
rersities  loaded  him  with  literary  honours  j  tbe  king  of 
Denmark  invited  him  to  settle  at  Copenhagen  5  the  duke 
of  Brunswick  called  him  thence  to  Helmstadt,  where  he 
filled  the  academical  chair ;  was  honoured  with  tbe  cha- 
racter of  ecclesiastical  counsellor  to  tbe  court ;  a<nd  pre- 
sided over  the  seminaries  of  learning  in  the  duchy  of  Wolf* 
embuttle  and  the  principality  of  Blakeoburg.  When  $ 
design  was  formed  of  giving  an  uncommon  degree  of  lustre 
to  the  university  of  Gottingen,  by  filling  it  with  nsen  of 
the  first  rank  in  letters,  king  George  II.  considered  Dr, 
Mosheim  as  worthy  to  appear  at  the  head  of  it,  in  quality 
of  chancellor ;  and  he  discharged  tbe  duties  of  that  station, 
with  zeal  and  propriety,  and  his  conduct  gave  general  sa* 
tisfaction.  Here  be  died,  universally  lamented,  in  1755,, 
Jn  depth  of  judgment,  in  extent  of  learning,  in  purity  of 
taste,  in  the  powers  of  eloquence,  and  in  a  laborious  appli- 
cation to  all  the  various  branches  of  erudition  and  philo- 
sophy, he  is.  said  to  have  had  very  few  superiors.  IBs 
Latin  translation  of  Cudworth's  K  Intellectual  System," 
enriched  with  large  annotations,  discovered  a  profound 
acquaintance  with  ancient  learning  and  philosophy.  His 
illustrations  of  the  Scriptures,  bis  labours  in  defence  of 
Christianity,  and  the  light  he  cast  upon  religion  and  phi- 
losophy, appear  in  many  volumes  of  sacred  and  prripbane 
literature.  He  wrote,  in  Latin,  1.  "  Observationes  sacra, 
*t  historieo-criticsB,"  Amst.  1721,  8vo.  2.  "  Vindiciss  an- 
tique Christianontm  disciplines,  adv.  J.  Tolandi  Nazare* 
num,"  Hamb.  1722,  8vo.  3. "  De  sstate  apologetic*  TeT«- 
tulliani  et  initio  persecution^  Ghristianorun  sub  Severn^ 
commentatio,"  Helm.  1724,  4to.  4.  **  Gallas  glorm  J, 
Christi,  Spiritusque  Sancti  obtrectator,  public©  contem- 
tioni  expositus,"  Helm.  1736,  4to.  5.  "  Histpria  Tarta- 
rorum  ecclesiastic?,"  Helen.  1741,  4to,    6.  "  De  rebus 


MOSHEIM.  4«f 

Gbristianoruin  ante  Caostuntinum  Magnum  eommentarii," 
ibid.  1753,  4te.  7. "  Historia  Micb»  Served,"  &c.  But 
that  by  which  be  is  beat  known  in  tjiis  country  is  bit 
churoh-history.  This  was  at  first  a  small  work,  which  ap- 
peared undelr  the  title  of  "  Inatitutiones  Historic  Christ 
dairo,"  and  passed  through  several  editions.  He  was  re* 
peatedly  urged  by  Us  learned  friends  to  extend  a  work 
which  they  represented  as  too  meagre  for  the  importance 
of  the  subject  He  acknowledged  the  objection,  but  al* 
leged  various  avocations  as  an  excuse  for  non-compliance. 
At  length,  however,  be  acceded  to  the  wish  of  the  public* 
and  having  employed  two  years  in  the  augmentation  and 
improvement  of  his  history,  he  published  it  in  1755,  be- 
fore the  end  of  which  year  he  died.  This:  was  soon  after 
translated  into  English  by  Dr.  Maclaine,  ef  whom  we  have 
recently  given  some  account,  and  is  now  a  standard  book 
in  our  libraries.  The  best  edition,  as  we  have  noticed  in 
Maclaine's  article,  is  that  of  which  Dr.  Charles  Coote  wafe 
the  editor  and  continuator,  in  1811,  6  vols.  8vo.  Thik 
edition  is  also  enriched  by  a  masterly  dissertation  from  the 
pen  of  Dr.  Gleig,  of  Stirling,  on  the  primitive  form  of  the 
eborehj  calculated  to  obviate  certain  prejudices  wbieh 
Mosbeim  had  discovered  in  various  parte  of  his  otherwise 
valuable  history. l , 

MOSS  (Robert),  a  learned  English  clergyman*  thf 
eldest  son  of  Robert  Moss,  of  Posswick,  in  Norfolk,  was 
bfcrn  at  Gillingham  in  that  county,  in  or  about  1666.  His 
father  had  an  estate  which  enabled  him  to  provide  hand* 
semety  for  his  four  sons;  Robert,  the  subject  of  this  article* 
Samuel,  who  was  brought  up  as  a  merchant;  William* 
wbo  died  possessed  of  bis  father's  estate  at  Posswiek ;  and 
Obartes  Moss,  M.  D.  Robert,  after  being  educated  at 
the  public  school  at  Norwich,  **s  entered  as  a  sizar  of 
Bene't  college,  Cambridge,  in  1682,  and  distinguished 
himself  so  much  in  his  academical  studies,  that,  after  barr- 
ing taken  his  bachelor's  degree,  he  was  chosen  to  a  Nor- 
folk fellowship,  and  became  eminent  also  as  a  successful 
tutor.  He  received  deaofcn's  orders  in  1688,  and  priest's 
iff  1690.  In  169$  be  was  appointed  one  of  the  twelve  uni- 
versity preachers.  His  sermons  at  St.  Mary's  were  always 
attended  by  a  full  audience,  as  well  as  his  disputations  in 
the  schools,  in  which  he  shewed  a  clear  and  distinguishing 

*  Dr.  Coote'g  preface.— Diet  Hiat— tlie  anti-episcopal  prejudices  of  Mo- 
iheim  are  obviated  in  many  parts  of  MUner*s  Church  History. 


45<>  M  O  S  S.: 

bead,  rewonedrjustly  and  closely  in  defending  a  question; 
and  urgeU  his  objections  with  great  acnteness  when  he  bore 
the  part  of  the-  opponent,  always  expressing  himself  with 
great  ease  .and  fluency*  And  in  elegant  Latin.  After  be 
bad  kept  a  divinity-act  in  the.  schools,  in  1696;  for  the 
degree  of  B.  D.  there  being  a  public  commencement  that 
year,  he  voluntarily  undertook  another  oh  that  occasion  in 
St.  Mary's,  where  the  commencement  was  held  before  the 
erection,  of  the  new  regent»house,  and  acquitted  himself 
in  both  to  the  general  satisfaction  ;  particularly,  in  main- 
taining the  necessity  of  believing  our  Saviour  as  the  true 
God,  against  the  doctrine  of  Episcopius. 

His  first  remove  from  the  university  was  in  consequence 
of  his  being  appointed  preacher-  to  the  honourable  so* 
ciety  of  Gray's  Inn,  July  11,    1698,  which  preferment 
be  enjoyed  till  1714*,     In  the  following  year,  January 
1699,   he  was  named  preacber-asfeistant  of  St.  James's, 
Westminster,  by  the. rector*  Dr.  Wake,  afterwards  arch- 
bishop, of  Canterbury.     In  April  1701  be  was  appointed 
chaplain  in  ordinary  to  king  William,  and  continued  in 
the  same  office  in  the  following  reigo.     He  Was  one  of  the 
chaplains  in  waiting,  when  queen  Anne,  in  April   1705, 
visited  the  university  of  Cambridge,  and  he  was  on  that 
occasion  created  D.  t).     In  1708  he  was  chosen,  by  die 
parish,  Tuesday  lecturer  at  St.  Lawrence's  Jewry,  near 
Guildhall,  in  the  room  of  Dr.  Stanhope,  who  then  resiguefd 
it,  and  supported  the  credit  and  character  of  that  lecture 
with  great  approbation  until  1727,  when  his  growing  in- 
firmities induced  him  to.  resign   it    In    1708-9  he  was 
involved  in  a -dispute  with  J>r.  Thomas  Greene,  afterwards 
bishop' of  Norwich,  but  then  master  of  Bene't  college,  who 
expected  Dr.  Moss  to  resign  his  fellowship  on  acconnt  of 
his  non- residence  and  preferments  in  town.     The  debate 
was  carried  on  by  letter,  and  with  too  much  warmth  on  both 
sides ;  but.  it  appears,  without   ultimately   creating  any 
breach  of  friendship.  On  the  death  of  Dr.  Roderick,  in  1 7 12, 
Dr.  Moss  was  appointed  by  her  majesty  to  the  deanery  of 
Ely,  and  on,  this;  occasion  quitted  his  fellowship  in  the 
college,    and  about    1714  resigned  the  preacherabipt  pf 
Gray's  Inn,  and  at  the   same  time,  was  collated  by  Dr. 
Robinson,  bishop  of  London,  to  the  living  of  Gilston,  alias 
%  .,■''• 

*  Dr.  Grey  says  he  enjoyed  this  for     in  1714,  or  rather  in  1716.    The  latter 
life,  with  the  help  of  an  assistant;  bat     we  believe  to  be  the  feet, 
soon  after  tells  us  that  he  resigned  it 


MOSS.  457 

Geddleaton,  &  wtall  rectory  on  the  Eastern  tide  of  Hert- 
fordshire, which,  though  of  no  great  value,  was  of  great 
service  to  bim  when  incapacitated  from  taking  long  jour- 
neys, being '  a  convenient  distance  between  London  and 
Ely,  and  an  agreeable  retirement. 

_  In  1717  he.  is  supposed* to  have  been  the  author  of 
"  The  Report  ■  vindicated  from  Misreports ;  being  a  de- 
fence of  my  lords  the  bishops,;  as  well  as  the  clergy  of  the 
lower  bouse,  of  convocation*  in  a  letter  from  a  member  of 
that  house  to  the  prolocutor,  concerning  their  late  con- 
sultations about  the;  bishop  of  Bangor's  writings;  with  a 
postscript,  containing  some  few. remarks  upon  the  letter  to 
Dr.  Sherlock,"  Dr.  Moss  did  not  meddle  much  in  the 
controversies  of  the  times,  yet  took  some  part  in  that 
which  arpfe  from  the  Bangorian  dispute,  and  that  on  the 
validity  or  invalidity  of  lay-baptism.  Concerning  the  lat- 
ter he  published  a  sermon  entitled  "  The  extent  of  Christ's 
commission  to  baptise;  with  a  preface,  addressed  to  the 
dissenters."  Except  these,  we  know  nof  of  any  separate 
publications  from  his  pen. 

His  constitution  bad  been  impaired  by  frequent  and 
severe  returns  of  the  gout,  with  which  he  was  afflicted  early 
in  life,  and  which  at  last  deprived  him  of  the  use  of  his 
limbs.  This,  however,  has  partly  been  attributed  to  an 
injudicious  regimen  which  he  adopted,  .  and  the  use  of 
sulphur,  although  his  brother,  Dr.  Charles  Moss,  physician 
at  Hull,  had  endeavoured  to  point  out  the;  consequences, 
which  proved  to  be  exactly  what  he  foretold.  He  died  at 
a  bouse  in  which  he  had  for  some  time  resided  at  Cam- 
bridge, March  26,  1729,  in  the  sixty- third  year  of  his  age. 
.  By  his  widow,  a  Mrs.  Hinton,  of  Cambridge,  he  had  no 
issue  ;  but  left  her  a  comfortable  provision,  and  after  some 
legacies,  bequeathed  the  bulk  of  his  fortune  to  his  third 
brother's  son,  Mr.  Charles  Moss,  who,  as  his  biographer 
pays,  "  was  a  promising  youth,  and  student  of  Caius  col- 
lege, Cambridge." 

1  This  "  promising  youth"  was  afterwards  a  fellow  of  his 
college,  B.  A.  1731,  M.  A.  1735,  and  D.  D.  1747.  He 
.became  archdeacon  of  Colchester,  prebendary  of  Salisbury, 
rector  of  St.  Andrew  Undershaft,  of  St  James's,  West* 
.minster,  1750,  and  of  St.  George's,  Hanover-square,  in 
.1759.  He  was  elected  bishop  of  St.  David's  in  1766,  and 
translated  to  Bath  and  Wells  in  1774.  He  died  April  13, 
.1802.     Besides  four  or  five  sermons  preached  on  public 


458  MOSS. 

occasions,  he  printed  "  A  Charge  to  the  Clergy  of  the 
archdeaconry  of  Colchester,  occasioned  by  the  uncommon 
Mortality  and  quick  succession  of  Bishops  in  the  see  of 
London,  at  a  visitation  holden  in  May  1764 ;?'  and  twenty 
years  before,  an  admirable  tract  in  defence  of  bishop  Sber* 
lock's  celebrated  "  Tryal  of  the  Witnesses  df  the  ResUr* 
rection  of  Jesus.*'  This  tract  was  entitled,  u  The  Evidence 
of  the  Resurrection  cleared  from  the  exceptions  of  a  late 
pamphlet,  entitled  '  The  Resurrection  df  Jesuft  considered 
by  a  moral  philosopher,  in  answer  to  the  Tryal  of  the 
Witnesses,'"  &c.  Lond.  1744.  It  afterwards  appeared 
tvith  the  following  title  :  "  The  Sequel  of  the  Tryal  of  the 
Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection ;  being  an  answer  to  the 
exceptions  of  a  late  pamphlet,  &c.  &c. :  revised  by  the 
author  of  the  Tryal  of  the  Witnesses,"  ibid.  1749.  The 
title-page,  however,  alone  is  new ;  as  the  impression  is 
identically  the  same  as  in  1744  j  but  the  inscription  signed 
"  CM,"  is  omitted  in  1749.  It  was  to  Sherlock  he  owed 
his  promotions,  to  whom  he  had  been  chaplain.  His  son, 
Dr.  Charles  Moss,  to  whom  he  left  a  vast  property*  was 
educated  at  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  of  which  diocese  be 
became  bishop  in  1807,  and  died  in  1811. 

Dr.  Robert  Moss  was  buried,  agreeably  to  his  Will,  with- 
out much  ostentation  or  expence,  in  the  presbytery  of  the 
cathedral  church  of  Ely,  where  the  bishops,  deans,  and 
prebendaries  are  usually  interred.  After  his  death,  Dr. 
Snape,  provost  of  King's  college,  published  eight  volumes 
of  his  sermons,  the  first  four  in  1736,  with  this  character 
of  him,  "  that  he  was  of  so  open  and  generods  a  dispo- 
sition, and  such  a  stranger  to  all  artificial  disguise,  that 
he  affirmed,  and  you  believed  him ;  he  promised,  and  you 
trusted,  him;  you  knew  him,  and  you  loved  him:  that  be 
was  very  communicative  both  of  his  substance  and  bis 
knowledge,  and  a  man  of  so  much  honour  and  integrity, 
Candour  and  humanity,  as,  joined  with  his  other  Christian 
virtues  and  intellectual  endowments,  as  well  as  a  graceful 
person,  genteel  address,  and  engaging  conversation,  gained 
him  universal  respect."  In  his  early  college  days  he  wrote 
some  poetry.  A  Latin  ode  of  his  is  printed  in  "  Moestis- 
simse  ac  lsetisshnae  Academiss  Cantabrigiensis  affectus  de- 
cedente  Carolo  IT.  succedente  Jacobo  II."  and  a  Latin 
poem  and  an  English  ode  in  the  "  Lacryma  Cantabri- 
gienses  in  Obitum  serenissim&  Regime  Maris."  Besides 
which  he  wrote  several  other  poems,  three  of  which  were 


■ 

MOSS,  %     45* 

printed  for  the  first  time  in  the  General  Dictionary,  10 
vols,  fol  Among  bis  lesser  legacies,  it  ought  to  be  men* 
ticfred  that  be  left  a  perpetual  annuity  of  £i  issuing  out  of 
tyids  in  Cheshire,  to  this  master's  atefur  of  Cains  college, 
as  an  augmentation  of  his  salary.  This  sizar  is  to  be  of 
the  name  of  Moss,  if  there  be  such  an  one  of  the  college, 
otherwise  of  Norfolk,' and  of  the  free-school  of  Norwich, 
and  may  held  the  place  for  seven  years. ' 

M0S8OM  (RoBfiBT),  was  a  learned  and  pious  Irish 
prelate,  of  whose  early  history  we  find  no  account    Mr. 
Nichols,  in  bis  "  Anecdotes,"  says  that  he  "  appears  to 
have  been  appointed  to  be  minister  of  St  Peter's,  Paul's 
Wharf,  London,  after  the  sequestration  of  Edward  Mer- 
bury ;"  but  this  is  quite  inconsistent  with  bishop  Kenn's 
account  of  bim,  in  his  funeral  sermon  on  lady  Margaret 
MaynarcL    There  he  says  that  Dr.  Mossem,  during  the 
usurpation,  was  silenced,  plundered,  and  persecuted.   Af- 
ter .  the  restoration  we  can  trace  bim  more  exactly.     He 
was  made,  in  1660,  dean  of  Christ  Church,  Dublin,  and 
in  1662,  prebendary  of  Knaresborough  in  the  cathedral  of 
York.    From  thence  he  was  promoted  to  the  see  of  Derry 
in  March  1666,  with  which  be  held  his  deanery  of  Christ 
Church,  but  resigned  his  prebend.    He  died  at  London- 
derry, Dec.  21,  1679,  and  waa  buried  in  thp  cathedral* 
Harris  mentions  his  book  entitled  "  The  preacher's  Tri- 
partite," Lond.  1657,   foK  and  another,  "  Variae   collo- 
quendi  Formula,  in  usum  -  condiscipulorum  in  palsestr& 
literaria  sub  paterno  moderamine  vires  Miuervales  exer- 
eentium,  partim  collects,  partim  composite   a  Roberto 
Moasom,"  Lond.  -1659,  by  which  it  appears  that  his  father 
•taught  a  school  in  London.     Mr.  Nichols  enumerates  a  few 
«ngle  Sermons  and  speeches,  a  "  Narrative  panegyrical 
on  the  life,  &c.  of  George  Wild,  bishop  of  Derry,"  1665, 
Ato ;  and  u  Zion's  prospect  in  its  first  view,  in  a  summary 
of  divine  truths,  viz.  of  Cjod,  Providence,  decrees,"  &c 
1654j  4to,  reprinted  at  least  twice,  the  last  in  171  i.f 

MOTHE  LE  VAYER  (Francis  de  la),  a  distinguished 
French  writer  in  the  seventeenth  century,  to  be  classed 
with  those  whose  scepticism  and  indelicacies  have  disgraced 

*  Nichols'*  Bowyer,  from  a  MS  Life  by  Dr.  Zach.  Grey,  in  Mr.  Nichols's 
-  possession.— Preface  to  his  Sermons,  by  Dr.  Sitape,  some  of  the  materials  of 

which  were  contributed  by  Dr.  Grey,  who  also  gave  the  particulars  of  his  Hfe  to 
4hrGeo.  DicjL-7-Masten'g  Hist,  of  C.C.C  C.— Ge*t.  Mag.  vol.  LXXIII.  U$S. 

*  Nichols's  Bowyer.— Harris's  Edition  of  Ware, 


460  M  O  T  H  E. 

their  talents,  was  born  at  Paris  in  1 588,  of  a  family  of  gen- 
tlemen of  tbe  long  robe.  He  was  himself  educated  for  the 
bar,  and  long  held  tbe  office  which  his  father  resigned  to 
him,  of  substitute'  procurator-general  to  the  parliament; 
but  his  love  of  polite  literature  induced  him  to  desert  his 
profession,  and  employ  his  time  in  study  and  writing.  By 
this  he  acquired  such  reputation  as  to  be  received  into  the 
French  academy  in  1639,  of  which  he  was  accounted  one 
of  the  ablest  members.  When  a  tutor  was  to  be  appointed 
for  Louis  XIV.  in  1644,  it  was  generally  supposed  that 
La  Mothe  le  Vayer  Would  have  been  the  man,  and  ft  cer- 
tainly was  so  intended  by  cardinal  Richelieu,  both  on  ac- 
count of  an  excellent  work  he  had  published  on  the  edu- 
cation of  tbe  dauphin,  and  tbe  reputation  his  other 
^writings  had  acquired  to  him  ;  but  the  queen  having  deter- 
'  mined  not  to  bestow  the  place  on  a  married  man,  the  (de- 
sign was  dropt.  It  is  probable  that  the  queen's  object,  in 
refusing  a  married  man,  was  to  prefer  an  ecclesiastic,  of 
whose  religious  principles  she  might  be  secure ;  for  those  of 
Le  Vayer  were  already  more  than  suspected  by  his  work 

a  De  la  Vertu  de  Payens."  

.     Having  thus  failed  in  obtaining  the  first  situation  in  which 
a  man  of  letters  could  be  placed,  he  succeeded,  in  1647, 
in  being  appointed  to  what  might  be  considered  as  the  se- 
cond, that  of  preceptor  to  Philip,  then  duke  of  Anjou,  and 
afterwards  duke  of  Orleans,  the  king's  brother.     He  had 
also  conferred  on  him  the  titles  of  historiographer  of  France 
and  counsellor  of  state.     By  his  first  wife  he  had  an  only 
son,  who  died  in  1664,  in  the  thirty-fifth  year  of  his.  age. 
His  wife  also  being  dead  long  before,  he  is  said  to  have 
been  so  much  afflicted  at  the  loss  of  his  son,  as  to  deter- 
mine to  marry  again,  which  he  did  the  same  year,  1664,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six  !     He  died  in  1672,  aged  eighty- 
four.     He  was. a  voluminous  writer,  and  upon  all  subjects, 
ancient,  modern,  sacred  and  profane.     We  cannot,  per- 
haps,' to  some  of  our  readers,  give  a  better  idea  of  his 
•works,  than  by  comparing  them  to  those  of  Bayle.    We 
find*  in  them  the  same  scepticism  and  the  same  indecencies; 
and  on  this  account  Bayle  expatiates  on  his  character  with 
congenial  pleasure.   In  his  private  character,  he  was  some- 
what of  a  humourist,    but  his  moral  conduct  was  more 
correct  than  might  hare  been  expected  from  his  writings. 
He  is  mentioned  by  Guy  Patin  as  a  Stoic,  who  would  neither 
praise  nor  be  praised,  and  who  followed  His  own  fancies 


M  O  T  H  E.  461 

and  caprices  without  any  regard  to  the  opinions  of  the  world, 
and  his  dress  and  usual  demeanour  distinguished  him  froip 
other  men.     In(the  court  he  lived  like  a  philosopher,  im- 
mersed io  books,  simple  and  regular!  in  his  manner  of  liv- 
ing, and  void  of  ambition  and  avarice.    His  treatise  which 
we  bave  mentioned,   "  On  the  Virtue  of  Pagans,"    was* 
answered  by  ArnaulcL     La  Mothe's  bookseller  complaining 
that  his  book  did  not  sell,  "  I  know  a  secret,"  said  the' 
author,  "  to  quicken  the  sale  :"  he  procured  an  order  from 
government  for  its  suppression,  whjcji  was  the  means  of 
selling  the  whole  edition*  ..His  works  were  collected  in 
two  volumes  folio ;  and  there  was  an  edition,,  we  believe  the 
last,  printed  at  Dresden,  in  1756,  inJ4.vols.  8yo,  so  low 
priced,  in  the  French  catalogues,  that  there  seems  now 
little  value  placed  on  tbem.  *  •;.!.• 
•  M0TTE  (Anthony  Houdart  de  la),   an  ingenious 
French  writer,  was  born  at  Paris,  Jan.  17,  1672.    He  was 
educated  in  a  seminary  .of  Jesuits,  and  afterwards  entered 
on  the  study  of  the  law,  which  he  quitted  for  the  stage, 
as  in  his  opinion  affording  the  more  brilliant  prospect.  His. 
first  attempt,  however,  a  comedy,,  miscarried,  and  he  felt 
the  disgrace  so  acutely  as  to  thrtw  himself  into  the  cele- 
brated monastery  of  La  Trappe,  where  he  fancied  be  could 
Qomply  with  .its  austerities;  but  after  a  few  months  be  re*, 
turned  to  the  world,  and,  produced  some  operas  and  pas* 
torals,  which  had  considerable  success.     His  lyric  efforts: 
were  particularly  applauded,  and  he  now  published  a  vo- 
lume of  odes ;  but  in  these,  says  D'Alembe/t,  "the  images, 
are  scanty,  the  colouring  feeble,  and  the  harmony  often  - 
neglected."  .  Dr.  Wartott  had  pronounced/  long  before, . 
that  these  odes,  although  highly  praised  by  Sanadon,  and . 
by  Fontenelle,  were  fuller  of  delicate  sentiment,  and  phi- 
losophical rejection,  than  of  imagery,  figures,  and  poetry. 
There  are  particular  stanzas  eminently  good,,  but  not  one, 
entire  ode.     So  far  the  French  and  English  critics  seem  to 
agree.     We  learn  also,;  from  D'Alembert,  that.  La  Motte's 
odes  were  soon  effaced  by  those  of  the  celebrated  Rous* . 
seau,  who,  with  less  wit,  perhaps,  than  La  Motte,  had  su- 
perior qualifications  for  the.  higher  poetry.  Yet,  when  these.* 
rivals  became  competitors  for  a  seat  in  the  academy  in  1710, 
La  Motte  was  preferred,  from  his  baying  friends  who  loved , 
him,  while  Rousseau,  frpm  his  repulsive  temper,  did  not 

i  Gen.  Diet  art.  Vayer.— Morcri.— Niceron,  vot.  XtX.— Diet,  Hist* 


468  M  O  TT  JC 

poiseis  <m&  La  Motte  succeeded  Coraeille  in  ihe 
demy,  and,  like  him,  was  at  thii  time  nbarly  blind.  Be 
very  ingeniously  made  Hie  of  this  calamity,  id  his  discourse 
at  his  reception,  to  interest  Us  auditors.  After  having 
spoken  of  die  merit  of  bis  predecessor,  be  proceeded : 
u  You  have  beheld  bim  faithfal  to  ydur  duties  till  extreme 
old  age,  infirm  as  be  Was,  and  already  deprived  of  fight; 
The  mention  of  ibis  circutostance  mikes  me  feel  the  com* 
dition  to  which  I  am  myself  reduced.  What  age  lavished 
from  my  predecessor,  I  have  lost  from  my  youth.  I  must,* 
however,  confess,  that  this  privation  of  which  I  complain, 
will  no  longer  serve  me  as  an  excuse  for  ignorance :  yda, 
gentlemen,  have  rfefttored  me  my  sight ;  you,  by  associat- 
ing me  with  yourselves,  have  laid  all  books  open  to  me; 
and,  since  I  am  able  to  hear  you,  I  my  longer  eiivy  tbe 
happiness  of  thofe  who  can  read.*  LaMoft*  ioon  fcfter 
became  totally  deprived  of  sight.  He  nest  ventured  ttf 
appear  on  a  theatre  more  worthy  of  a  poet's  ambition,  and 
produced  tbe  trigedy  of  the  "  Maccabees,"  concealing  hi# 
name.  The  critics  fatad  a  great  deal  of  merit  in  it  white 
this  concealment  lasted ;  and  some  went  so  fa*  as  to  con- 
ceive it  a  posthumous  work  df  Racine;  but  when  he  dis- 
covered himself,  they  withdrew  tfoeir  praite*,  o*  changed 
them  into  censures ;  and  tbe  tragedy,  being  really  of  tba 
mediocre  kind,  disappeared  from  tbe  stage.  It  was  fol- 
lowed by  others,  of  which  "  toe*  de  Castro"  obtained  i 
permanent  place  on  the  stage,  notwithstanding  titany  at- 
tacks from  wit,  malice,  lad  arrogance ;  All  which  he  bore 
with  gdod-humoar.  He  was  one  day  in  a  cofffee-house,  in 
the  midst  of  a  swarm  of  literary  drones,  Who  were  abusing 
bis  work  without  knowing  the  author.  He  patiently  heard 
them  a  long  time  in  silence,  and  then  called  out  to  a  friend 
who  accompanied  him,  "  Let  us  go  and  yawn  at  the  fiftieth 
representation  of  this  tmfortunate  piece."  At  another 
time,  when  told  of  the  numerous  criticisms  made  on  bis* 
tragedy,  "  It  i*  trtie,"  said  he,  u  it  has  been  much  criti- 
cised, but  With  teart." 

He  wrote  also  six  cothedte*,  of  which  iht  "MagnlfiqU^ 
still  pieases  by  the  ingenuity  of  its  details,  ahd  the  charm* 
of  its  style.  All  his*  domedies  are  Written  in  prose :  and' 
when  he  produced  his  tragedy  of  "  CEdipus,"  after  having 
first  written  it  in  verse,  he  turned  it  into  prose,  which  gavg 
occasion  to  the  publication  of  his  system  of  prose  trage- 
dies, so  ingeniously  supported,  and  so  warmly  refuted; 


MOTTft  46% 

tlae  tesult  of  the. controversy  was,  that  all  the  menof  letrers 
iu  France  decided  in  favour  of  verse.    la  1714,  he  pub- 
lished his  translation  of  Homer's  Iliad,  in  which  he  was  still 
less  successful  then  in  his  anti-poetical  paradoxes.     He 
presumed  also  to  write  against  Hosier,  and  was  answered 
by  madapie  Dacier ;  but  by  this,  says  D* Alembert,  he  of* 
.  fered  Homer   a  less  injury  than  by  translating  him  into 
French  verse.  He  had  attacked  the  subject,  the  disposition, 
and  the  entire  plan  of  the  Iliad,  with  much  ingenuity,  but  he 
did  not  render  sufficient  justice  to  the  sublime  beauties  of 
Homer,  and  still  less, was  he  able  to  transfer  these  beauties 
to  his  version.     He  substituted  a  bore  skeleton  to  the  mon- 
ster be  meant  .to  combat ;  and  as  hd  had  raised  the  public 
laughter  against  his  adversaries,  he  exposed  himself  to  their 
shafts  by  an  unskilful  travesty  of  the  object  of  their  wor*. 
ship.     The  powerful  diversion  he  afforded  them  by  tbi$ 
mistake  lost  him  almost  all  his  advantages.;  and  the  French; 
Iliad  consoled  madam  Dacier  for  the  ridicule  which  had 
been  thrown  upon  her  by  the  answer  erf  la  Motte  to  her 
criticisms,  which  was  undoubtedly  a  very  witty  and  inge- 
nious defence  of  a  bad  cause.    Some  years  after,  in  IJ19, 
he  produced  his  "Fables,"  which  were  praised  for  inven- 
tion and  moral,  while  k  was  allowed  that  they  were  in  other 
respects  not  to  be  compared  with  tbote  of  La  Fontaine* 
Besides  these  he  wrote^  at  different  times,,  many  other  spe- 
cies of  poetry  r  eclogues,  cantatas,  psalms,  hymns^  &c/of 
which,  as  well  as  his  other  productions,  D' Alembert  says, 
"  he  wished  to  make  verses,  and  felt  that  nature  had  not 
made  him  a  poet ;  be  wished  to  compose  odes*  and  felt 
that  be  had  more  good  sense  than  warmth,  more  reason 
than  emhnsiasifc ;  he  wished  to  write  tragedies,  and  saw 
himself  at  an  immense  distance  from  Corneille  and  Racine  $ 
he  wished  to  produce  fables,  and  felt  that  his  genius,  the 
character  of  which  was  artful  refinement,  Would  in  vain  aim 
at  the  charming  simplicity  of  la  Fontaine."     If,  however, 
La  Motte' s  verses  are  not  master-pieces  of  poetry,  his  prose- 
writings  may^be  regarded  as  models  of  style.     The  talent 
of  writing  prose  well  is  a  merit  that  scarcely  any  French 
poet  possessed  before  la  Motte.     His  answer  to  madame 
Dacier,  entitled  "  Reflections  on.  Criticism,9'  and  his  pre- 
faces to  his  works,  are  master-pieces  of  elegance.   All  hi* 
academical  discourses,    delivered  on  different   occasions, 
were' excellent;  but  the  most  applauded  was  his  eulogy 
on  Lewis  XIV.  pronounced  at  a  public  sitting  after  th$ 


464  MOTTE 

death  of  that  prince,  which,  of  all  the  funeral  orations 
made  on  Mm,  is  the  only  one  which  is  not  yet  entirely 
forgotten. 

^  Such  was  the  versatility  of  la  Motte's  genius,'  that  be 
wrote  charges  for  bishops ;  and  though  the  secret  was  kept 
by  both. parties,  his  touch. and  manner  betrayed  him.     He 
was  also  the  author  of  several  other  writings,  which  his  ene- 
mies would  have  treated  with  severity  had  they  known  the 
real  father,  but  for  which  the  supposed  father  received  their 
profound  homage.    But  while  some  prelates  employed  the- 
pen  of  la  Motte  in  the  service  of  religion,  by  composing 
their  charges,  others  accused  him  of  being  an  unbeliever. 
Among  his  works  has  been  printed  "  A  Plan  of  Evidence 
for  Religion,"   which  D'Alembert  mentions  with  praise, 
and  which  was  praised  by  much  better  judges  of  the  subject. 
Satire  only  was  the  kind  of  composition  in  which  la  Motte 
did  not  exercise  .himself :  and  this  his  eulogist  attributes 
to  the  mildness  and  honour  of  his  character.     It  certainly 
was  not  from  want  of  ability ;  and  he  was  so  frequently 
the  object  of  satire,  as  to  have  sufficient  provocation.  This 
forbearance,  however,  and  the  general  sweetness  of  bis 
temper,  gained  him  many  partisans.    No  one  more  sin** 
cerely  than  be  applauded  the  success  even  of  bis  rivals; 
no  one  encouraged  rising  talents  with  more  zeal  and  in- 
terest ;  no  one  praised  good  works  with  more  genuine  sa* 
tisfaction  :  if  be  pointed  out  faults  in  them,  it  was  not.  to 
enjoy  the  easy  glory  of  mortifying  another's  vanity ;  it  was 
with  the  feeling  tb  which  critics  are  strangers,  and  which 
common  readers  rarely  entertain,  that  of  being  really  con- 
cerned to  find  a  blot.   ,  It  was  therefore  said  of  him,  that 
u  justice  ^nd  justness"  was  his  motto.    Of  both  these  qua- 
lities he  exhibited  a  distinguished  proof  when  be  gave,  as 
censpr,  his  approbation  to  Voltaire's  first  tragedy ;  for  he 
did  not  hesitate  to. add  to  it,  "that  this  work  gave  promise* 
of  a  worthy  successor-  oa  the  theatre  to  Corneille  and  Ra- 
cine.9' Such  candour  and  mildness  were  all  he  opposed,  not 
only  to  literary  insults,  but  to  personal  affronts.     A  young 
man,  upon:  whose  foot  he  once  happened  to  tread  in  a 
crowd,  gave  him  a  blow  on  the  face.   "  Sir,9'  said  la  Motte 
to  him,  "  you  will  be  very  sorry  for  what  you  have  done : 
I  am  blind*"  With  the  same  patience  he  endured  the  pain- 
ful infirmities  under  which  he  laboured,  and  which  termi- 
nated his  life  on  December  26,  1731.     In  1754,  a  com- 
plete edition  of  all  his  works  was  published  in  eleven  large 


tdremes)  !8*b^  !bufr  such  is  the  deetensirai  of  his  fjopularitiy 
that  bo  >  edition  has  since  been  called  for.  La  Harpe  (in 
hit  *'  Lyeeuie"):  says*  that  when  he  first  entered  life,  hi 
Matte  bad  already  descended  into  the  class  of  authors,  who 
ase  ntover  Jesd  but.  by  qnen  of  betters,  who  most  read  every 
thing.  Some  jfcassages  in  hi9  operas,  a  few  strophes  of  hit 
ode*,  and  oooa*ien?Hy  drie  of  bis  fables*.  Were  quoted; 
?ttd  hi*  tragedy  o£* H  Jnes>"  though  held  in  no  great  valuer 
retained  h*  plade  otft  the  stage*  The  harshness  of  his  ve*+ 
stieatioq  wag  admitted  ant-  all  bawds,  and  liis  paradoxal  tterf 
nerd*  meiuionedbut  m  Order  to  be  ridiculed.  *    .    . 

,MOTT&  See  LA  MOTTB. 
\  MOTETEUX  (*e?fbr'  Antony),  a  native  of  Fraac$  wtt* 
born  in  1*660,  at  Italian,  in  Monaa4idy,  where  stlto  hfe 
peeetv&d  his  edeaatton.  ©w  the  relocation,  of  the  edict  df 
Nawtzi  he  came  ever  to  England,  and  lived  at?  first  with  hi* 
gdd&thcft  and  vetatiotf,  Paul  DomkiknJe,  e^c(.  bat  after* 
ward©  pen  a  considerable  trader  himself,  kept  a  forge 
Eairt-India  watsehons*  in-  Leacfenhall-strdet,  and  had  a  good 
piacei^che  foreigrvpost-oflftoe.  Dttiritfg  hid  residence'  id 
this  kittgdttnay  he  acquired  a  grea$  knowledge  of  the  Etvg* 
lish  language,  and  not  only  published  a  gdod  translation  of 
<*  Ehm  ifcokote,"  bat  also  waote  sevetaft  u  Songs,"  « l^ro- 
fagnas,*.' ' "  Epilogues*-"  kc,  dedicated  a  poeiA  "  On  TeaVf 
to  the  Spectator,*  and,  what  was  stiW  mori&estraordinaryi 
became  at  successful  dramatfo  writer  m  the  language  of  at 
couotny.  of  wh*cfr  he  was;  not  a»  native.  The  resffebtftg 
titles  of  has  numerous*  pieces  of  that  kitvd  may  b&  sigh  id 
the*  ^  fiiogsapfaiai  Bramatfea."  Although  married  to  A 
*ery  beautiful:  woman,  his*  morals  wer*  ticemiouis,  and'fid 
was  oae>  day  found  dead  in  at  brotifetiE*  the  parish  of  Ste 
Clement  Efeaety  not  without  sospteioK  of  having  beert 
murdered;  though;  other  account*  stale' that  he  wak  iit 
soar*  measure  accessary  to  bte  cteefin  This  happened  Feb) 
l9y\Tiil~b&r  wh'tahy  being  his*  birth -day,  ex^tfy  c6ni<J 
pbted  bis?  frfty-eightb  ye&n  His*  body  wa*  ittt&rred  m  hM 
pawsh^ohMrch,  thj&tof  St.  Andrew  Undershirt,  in*  *»<**£ 
df  Loftdon.t  '    "      - 

..  MOTTBVHXrj  (FaAWCi^BnBRTJWl)  de),  a  ee%febttH*ef<< 

fbevehi  lady,  was  bttrft'  in^Nbwnaudy  about  1 615 r    Shg'w&rf 

,  ,  .  .  .■*...,,» 

,  1  yAleroterlfo  "Setect  Eqlp$it«f,»  translated  by  Dr.Ailffc  *  vdi.  Sfft 
F799:— Diet.  Ant',  art  Houdlirt. 
*  Biog.  Di*jn.TTCibfeej,»,  Lim~Britiib.Efiaju»tsl  Prtf.  to  the  Spectator, 

▼OL  VI.  •-  '     •  *  •  :••••'.•■--••.  ^    V 

Vol.  XXII.  H  it 


466  MOTTEVILLI. 

tbe  daughter  of  a  gentleman  who'  Belonged  to  the  court ; 
and  her  wit  and  amiable  manners  recommended  ber  to 
Anne  of  Austria,  who  kept  ber  constantly  near  ben  Car- 
dinal Richelieu,  who  was  always  jealous  of  tbe  favourites  of 
this  princess,  having  disgraced  ber,  she  retired,  with  her 
mother,  to  Normandy,  where  she  married  Nicolas  Lan- 
glois,  lord  of  Motteville,  an  old  man,  who  died  in  about 
two  years.  After  the  death  of  Richelieu,  Anne  of  Austria, 
having  been  declared  regent,  recalled  ber  to  court.  Here 
gratitude  induced  her  to  write  the  history  of  this  princess, 
which  has  been  printed  several  times  under  the  title  of 
"  Mgmoires  pour  servir  a  l'Bistoire  d'Anne  d'Austriche;" 
\n  5  and  6  volumes,  1 2mo.  These  Memoirs  describe  the 
minority  of  Lews  XIV.  and  are  written  in  a  natural,  uiv- 
affected  style ;  and,  says  Gibbon,  it  is  a  proof  of  the  au- 
thor's sincerity,  that  though  she  had  a  very  high  opinion 
,  of  her  mistress,  the  candour  with  which  she  relates  facts, 
shews  us  Anne  of  Austria  as  she  really  was. .  Madame  de 
Motteville  died  at  Paris,  Dec.  29,  1689,  aged  seventy- 
five.  There  was  a  very  great  confidence  and  even  inti- 
macy between  Henrietta,  tbe  widow  of  our  Charles  I.  and 
madame  de  Motteville. l 

.  MOTTLEY  (John,  esq.),  a  dramatic  and  miscellaneous 
writer,  was  the  sou  of  colonel  Mottley,  who  was  a  great 
favourite  with  king  James  II.  and  followed  the  fortunes  of 
that  prince  into  France.  James,  not  being  able  himself  to 
provide  for  him  so  well  as  he  desired,  procured  for  himi 
by  his  interest,  the  command  of  a  regiment,  in  the  service 
of  Louis  XIV.  at  the  head  of.  which  he  lost  his  life  in  the 
battle  of  Turin,  in  1706.  The  colonel  married  a  daughter 
of  John  Guise,  esq.  of  Abload's  Court,  in  Gloucestershire* 
with  whom,  by  the  death  of  a  brother,  who  left  ber  his 
whole  estate,  he  had  a  very  considerable  fortune.  The 
family  of  the  Guises,  however,  being  of  principles  diame* 
tricajly  opposite  to  those  of  the  colonel,  and  zealous  friends, 
to  the  revolution,  Mrs.  Mottley,  notwithstanding  tbe  tepi 
derest  affection  for  her  husbands  and  repeated  invitation* 
from  the  king  and  queen,  then  at  St.  Germain*,,  preferred 
living  at  borne  on  the  scanty  remains  of  what  he  had  left 
behind. ,  The  colonel  was  sent  over  to  England  three  or 
four  years  after  the  revolution,  on  a  secret  commission 
from  Jung  James ;  and  during  his  stay  our  author  was  boro, 

1  ^fieeron,  toI.  VII.— Moreri.— Gibbon's  Miic.  Works.       . 


M  6  TTLI  Y,  *6T 

iti  IW2.  Mr;  Mottley  received  the  first  rudiments  of  his 
education  at  St  Martin's  library -school,  founded  by  arch- 
bishop Tenison;  but  was  placed  in  the  excise-office  at 
•sixteen  years  of  age,  under  the  comptroller,  lord  viscount 
Howe,  whose  brother  and  sister  were  both  related  by  mar* 
riage  to  his  mother.  This  situation  he  retained  till  1720, 
-when,  in  consequence  of  an  unhappy  contract  he  had 
made,  probably  in  pursuit  of  some  of  the  bubbles  of  that 
infatuated  year,  he  was  obliged  to  resign  it.  Soon  after 
•the  accession  of  George  I.  Mr.  Mottley  had  been  promised 
(by  the  lord  Halifax,  at  that  time  first  lord  of  the  treasury, 
the  place  of  one  of  the  commissioners  of  the  wine-licence 
office;  but  when  the  day  came  that  his  name  should  have 
■been  inserted- in  the  patent,  a  more  powerful  interest,  to 
bis  great  surprize,  bad  stepped  in  between  him  and  the 
preferment,  of  which  he  had  so  positive  a  promise.  This, 
however,  was  not  the  only  disappointment  of  that  kind 
which  this  gentleman  met  with;  for,  at  the  period  above 
mentioned,  when  he  parted  with  his  place  in  the  excise, 
be  had  one  in  the  exchequer  absolutely  given  to  him  by 
«ir  Robert  Walpole,  to  whom  he  lay  under,  many  other 
obligations ;  but  in  this  case  as  well  as  the  preceding,  he 
found  that  the  minister  had  made  a  prior  promise  of  it  to 
Another,  and  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  it  Other  do- 
mestic embarrassments  induced  him  to  employ  his  pen, 
.which  had  hitherto  been  only  his  amusement,  for  the 
means  of  immediate  support ;  and  he  wrote  his  first  play, 
."  The  Imperial  Captives,"  which  met  with  tolerable  sue- 
jcess.  From  that  time  he  depended  chiefly  on  his  literary 
abilities  for  a  maintenance,  and  wrote  five  dramatic  pieces, 
with  various  success.  He  had  also  a  hand  in  the  compo- 
sition of  that  many-fathered  piece,  "  The  Devil  to  Pay. 
He  published  in  1739  a  "  Life  of  the  great  Czar  Peter, 
3  vols.  8vo,  by  subscription,  in  which  he  met  with  the 
sanction  of  some  of  the  royal  family,  and  great  numbers  of 
the.  nobility  and  gentry }  and,  on  occasion  of  one  of  his 
benefits,  which  happened  Nov.  3,  queen  Caroline,  on  the 
30th  of  the  preceding  month  (being  the  prince  of  Wales's 
birth-day),  did  the  auihor  the  singular  honour  of  disposing 
of  a  great  number  of  his  tickets,  with  her  own  band,  in  the 
drawing-room,  most  of  which  were  paid  for  in  gold,  into 
the  bands  of  colonel  Scbutz,  his  royal  highnesses  privy- 
purse,  from  whom  Mr,  Mottley  received  it,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a  very  liberal  present  from  the  prince  himself.     la 

H  H  2 


«fli  MOTTL1Y. 

1744  life  published  in  2  vdssl  8vo,  "The  History  of  the 
life  and  Retgu  of  the  empress  Catherine  of  Rassia."   Botk 
this  dad  the  preceding  are  compilations  from  the  journals . 
luid  annals  of  the  day,  bo*  are  now  valuable  from  the 
scarcity  of  those  authorities.     He  died  Oct.  30,  17£0.     k 
&as  been  sormifeed,  with  some  appearance  of  reason,  that 
Air.  Mottley  was  the  compiler  of  ttee  lives  of  the  dramatic 
writers,  published  at  the  end  of  Whm?os/s  "  Scanderbeg  " 
It  is  certain  that  the  life  of  Mr.  Mottley*  in  that  work,  is 
rendered  one  of  the  most  important  in  it,  and  is  particu- 
larised by  such  a  number  of  various, incidents,  as  it  soetpss 
improbable  /should  be  known  by  any  but  either  htnssqlf  or 
goose  one  nearly  related  to  him.     Among  others  hie  relates 
the  following  humourous  anecdote.     When  colonel  Mott- 
ley,  oar  author's  father,  esjne  over,  as  has  been  before 
related,  on  8  secret  cosnmissiosi  from  the  abdicated  nw»i- 
faarch,  the  government,  who  had  by  some  means  iotelli* 
genoe  of  it,  were  very  diligent  hi  their  eadearoarB  to  have 
him  seized.     Theiokmel,  hosvevetv  was  happy  enough  t* 
elude  their  search ;  but  several  other  persons  weee,  at  dtf» 
fereot  times,  seised  through  mistake  for  him.     Among  die 
test,  it  being  very  weU  known  that  he  frequently  supped 
ml  the  Blue  Posts  tavern,  in  the  Hayt-Market,  with  on* 
JMr.  Tredenham,  a  Cornish  (gentleman,  particular  directions 
;were  given  for  searching,  that  faonse.     Colonel  Mottley, 
fcawever,  happening  not  to  lae  there,  the  jneaseiigers  found 
J&u  Tredenham  alone,  and  with  a  heap  of  papers  befott 
him,  which  being  a  suspicious  circumstance,  they  ssnme~ 
tHately  seized,  and  carried  him  before  the  earl  of  Nottiag»> 
£taet,  then  secretary  of  state*     Hts  lordship,  whro,  however 
jcould  not  avoid  knowing  him,  as  he  \vas  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Commons,  and  nephew  to  the  famous  air  Sdword 
Seymour,  asked  him  what  all  those  papers  contained.    Mr. 
Tredenham  made  answer,  that  they  were  only  the  several 
pcenes  of  a  play,  which  he  had  been  seribblihg  Cor  the 
Amusement  of  a  few  leisure-hours*    Lord  Nottingham  theft 
only,  depired  leave  jwst  ,to  look  over  them,  which  having 
4one  for  some  little  time,  he  tiesiumed  them  again  to  the 
•author,  assuring  him  that  faesras  perfectly  satisfied;  "fou, 
«Upon  my  wond,"  said  he,  " I  Can  find  no  plot  inches*/"* 
t     MOUFET,  or  MUFFETT  (Thomas),  apbyskiian  and 
naturalist  of  the  sixteenth  century,  was  bora  as  London* 

1  Bjftg.  Pxsau  ; 


M.Q  IT.  F.ET,:  «* 

• 

iA  £r  **at  Si.  'LeottftrcTs  parish,  Shoredkch,  as  Wood 
foiyectures,  where  be  received  4b  early  education.  He 
was  then  seat  to  Cambridge,  at  ire  learn  from  Us  "  Health's 
Improvement,"  and  not  t»  Oxford,  as  Wood  says;  and 
afterwords  travelled  through  several  of  the  couatries  of 
Europe,  contracting  an  acquaintance  with  many  of  the 
most  eminent  foreign  physicians  and  chemists.  Before  hi* 
yetiira  he  bad  taken  the  degree  of  M.  D.  io  which  be  was 
incorporated  at  Cambridge  io  1582,  and  settled  ia  London, 
where  be  practised  physic  with  considerable  reputation. 
It  appears  also,  that  be  resided  for  sane  time  at  Ipswich. 
lie  was  particularly  patronized  by  Peregrine  Bertie,  lord 
WU lou gb by,  and  accompanied  him  on  his  embassy,  to 
carry  the  ensigns  of  the  osder  of  the  garter  to  the  king  of 
Denmark,  He  likewise  was  in  camp  with  the  earl  of  Essex 
in  Normandy,  probably  in  1 59  ] .  He  spent  uraoh  of  the 
latter  part  of  his  life  atBulbridge,  near  Wilton,  in  Wiiu 
shire,  as  a  retainer  to  the  Pembroke  family,  from  which 
be  received  an  ansuaal  peasios.  He  died  in  that  retire* 
mem,  about  the  end  of  queen  Elisabeth's  reign. 

Dr.  Moufet  appears  to  have  been  among  the  first  physt4 
eians  who  introduced  chemical  medicines  into  practice  in 
England.     He  published  in  1 5t8i,  at  Franefojrt,  an  apology 
for  the  chemical  sect,  which  was  then  beginning  to.  prevail 
in  Germany,  though   much  opposed  by  the  adherents  of 
the  school  of  the  aacients  :•  it  was  entitled  "  De  jure  et 
jpnestoDtia  Chdaiicorwm  Medicameotorum,  Dialogus  Apo- 
iogeticus."     The  work,  which  displays  a  good   deal   of 
learning  and  skill  in  argumentation,  was  republished  in 
the  u  Theattum  Chemicum,"  in  1602,  with  the  addition 
of  "  Epistblm  quinqae  Medicinales,  ab  eodem  Auctore 
cooscriptae,"  which   are  ali  dated  from  London  in  1582, 
3,  and  4.     These  epistles  contain  a  farther  defence  of  the 
chemical  doctrines,  some  keen  remarks  on  the  fanciful 
Reasonings  of  the  Galeniata,  and  many  sensible  observations 
against  absolute  submission  to  the  authority  of  great  names'. 
The  last  of  these  letters  treats  of  the  benefits  of  foreign 
travel   to  a  physician,  and  describes  Padua  as  the  best 
medical  schooL     His  liberality,  as  well  as  his  learning,  was 
princed  in  the  publication  ..of  another  work,  'f  Nosomania 
tica  Hippooaratica,  aire  Hippocratis  Prognostica  ouncta,  ex 
obsnsbua  ipsius  scriptis*    methodic©   digests,  i  Libri  ix.'P 
Franc.  1588  ;  for  the  writings  of  the  father  of  physic  were 

treated  with  contempt  by  Paracelsus,  and  the  majority  ef 


4T0  M  O  U  F  E  T.» 

♦ 

the  chemical  sect.  The  last  medical  work  of  MoufetV  i* 
entitled  "  Health's  Improvement ;  or,  rules  comprising  and 
discovering  the  nature,  method,  and  manner  of  preparing 
all  sorts  of  food  used  in  this  nation."  A  corrected  and 
enlarged  edition  of  this  book  was  printed  by  Christopher 
'Bennet  at  London,  1655,  4to.  It  is  a  curious  and  enter- 
taining performance,  on  account  of  the  information  which 
it  contains  respecting  the  diet  used  in  this  country  at  that 
time.  He  was,  however,  most  particularly  distinguished 
as  a  naturalist ;  and  he  enlarged  and  finished,  with  great 
labour  and  expence,  a  work  entitled  "  Ihsectorum,  sive 
minimorum  Animalium  Theatrum ;  olira  ab  Edw.  Wottonp, 
Conrado  Gesnero,  Thomaque  Pennio  inchoatum."  It  was 
left  in  manuscript,  and  published  in  London,  in  1634,  by 
sir  Theodore  Mayerne,  who  complains  of  the  difficulty  he 
found  in  getting  a  printer  to  undertake  it.  An  English 
translation  of  it  was  published  in  1658.  Though  not  free 
from  the  imperfections  of  an  infant  science,  this  was  really 
a  respectable  and  valuable  work;  and  Haller  does  not 
scruple  to  place  the  author  fibove  ^all  other  entomologists 
previous  to  Swammerdam. l 

MOULIN  (Charles  du},  in  Latin  Moliksus,  a  cele- 
brated lawyer,  was  born  at  Paris  in  1500.  His  family  was 
noble,  and  Papyrius  mentions  "  that  those  of  the  family  of 
Moulin  were  related  to  Elizabeth  queen  of  England;" 
which  she  acknowledged  herself  in  1572,  when  conversing 
with  Francis  duke  of  Montmorency,  marshal  of  France  and 
ambassador  to  England.  This  relation  probably  dame  by 
Thomas  Bulleri,  or  Boleyn,  viscount  of  Rochefort, '  the 
queen's  grandfather  by  the  mother's  side ;  for  Sanderus 
and  others  say,  "  that  this  Rochefort  being  ambassador  to 
prance,  gave  his  daughter  Anne  of  Bulloigne  to  a  gen- 
tleman of  Brie,  a  friend  and  relation  of  his,  to  take  care  of 
her  education ;  and  this  gentleman  is  supposed  to  be  the 
Jord  of  Fontenay  in  Brie,  of  the  family  of  du  Moulin." 
This  branch  came  from  Denys  du  Moulin,  lord  of  Fonte* 
nay  in  Brie,  archbishop  of  Thoulouse,  patriarch  of  Antioch, 
and  bishop  of  Paris,  where  he  died  in  1447.  The:  subject 
of  our  memoir  was  at  first  educated  at  the  university  of 
Paris,  and  afterwards  studied  law  ait  Poitiers  and  Orleans, 
at  the  latter  of  which  cities  he  gave  lectures  on  the  subject 
in  152,1.     In  the  following  year  he  was  received  as  an  ad- 

t  T**oer.-»Atk  Q*.  to).  I«— Aikin'j  Memoirs  of  Medicioe.<~R«c»'t  Cydopud^ 


N. 


MOULIN.  471 

vocate  of  parliament ;  but,  owing  to  a  defect  in  bis  speech, 
was  obliged  to  give  up  pleading,  and  confine  himself  to 
chamber  practice,  and  the  composition  of  those  works 
which  gained  him  so  much  reputation.  He  was  an  inde- 
fatigable student,  and  set  such  a  value  on  time,  that,  con- 
trary to  the  custom  of  bis  age,  he  had  bis  beard  close 
shaven,  that  be  might  not  lose  any  precious  moments  in. 
dressing  it;  but  in  his  latter  days  he  permitted  it  again  to. 
grow.  From  the  same  love  of  study,  he  refused  some  va- 
luable employments,  and  even  took  the  resolution  never  to 
marry ;  and  that  be  might  be  equally  free  from  every  other 
incumbrance,  he  gave  the  whole  of  his  property  to  an 
elder  brother,  reserving  only  for  bis  maintenance  the  pro* 
fits  of  bis  studies.  It  was  uot  long,  however,  before  he 
had  cause  to  repent  of  this  uncommon  liberality,  as  his 
brother  behaved  to  him  in  a  brutal  and  unnatural  way.  To 
revenge  himself,  be  had  recourse  to  an  expedient  sug- 
gested by  his  professional  knowledge.  He  married,  and 
having  children,  he  resumed,  according  to  the  law,  the 
possession  of  that  property  with  which  he  had  parted  so 
freely  when  a  bachelor.  It  was  in  1538  that  he  married 
Louise  de  Beldon,  daughter  of  the  king's  secretary,  a  lady 
of  a  most  amiable  and  affectionate  temper,  who,  instead  of 
being  an  incumbrance,  as  he  once  foolishly  thought,  proved 
the  great  comfort  of  his  life,  and  in  some  respect,  the  pro- 
moter of  his  studies,  by  her  prudent  care  of  those  domestic 
affairs  of  which  literary  men  are  generally  very  bad  ma- 
nagers. She  was  also  his  consolation  in  the  many  difficul- 
ties in  which  he  soon  became  embroiled.  He  was  a  man  of 
an  ardent  mind  and  warm'  temper,  totally  incapable  of  con- 
cealing his  sentiments,  particularly  in  the  cause  of  truth 
and  justice,  or  regard  to  his  country.  Like  many  other 
eminent  men  of  that  age,  he  embraced  the  principles  of 
the  reformed  religion,  first  according  to  the  system  of  Cal- 
vin, but  afterwards  be  adopted  that  of  Luther,  as  contained 
-in  the  Augsburgh  confession.  On  this  account  it  is  said 
that  the  Calvinists  endeavoured  to  make  him  feel  their  re- 
sentment, and  even  suspended  their  animosity  against  the 
Roman  catholics,  that  they  might  join  with  the  latter  in 
attacking  Du  Moulin. 

It  was  in  1552  that  he  first  began  to  be  involved  in  trou- 
bles, which  lasted  more  or  less  during  his  whole  life.    Some 
year*  before,  Henry  II.  had  issued  an  edict  to  repress  the 
.frauds  and  abuses  practised  at  Rome  by  the  conveyancers 


47*  BfO.lTX.lN; 

q(  benefices/  to  tbfe  ^reat  deieiqurtt  of  ^e  «cqleaiaefci<»* 
Oftler ;  and  this  baying  /occasioned  ft  dispute  between  fcia 
ttajesty  And'  pope  Julius  II.  he  published  a  new  editit  far* 
bidding  -money  to  he  sent  to  Home  on. any  pretence.     This 
gave  great  pffeiice  to  Abe,  pope,  who  insisted  diet  >k»9gs  bad 
HP  right  to  -pass  edicts  which  interfered  wi*h  endessastk*} 
.jurisdiction*  and  that  the  authority  of  the  b«dy  see  wmkn* 
jived  by  such  proceedings.     Yet,  says  Thoanus,  *>ur  kings 
always  bad  such  a  right,  arid  now  Du  Moulin  maantauwd 
it  with  all  the  force  of  his  profound  legal  knowledge,  mid 
prpduoed  not  only  arguments,  but  precedents  far  it ;  and 
|n  treating  of  the  spiritual  power  of  ,tbe  pope,  be  Jmeed  it 
to  foundations  which  were  by  nooneans  of  the  reesthonenr* 
able  tind.     This  was,  in  that  age,  a  very  bold  attempt, 
and  in  fact  so  disconcerted  (the  pope,  a*  to  make  heun  will* 
ing  tp  listen  to  the  pacific  overtures  made  by  *be  knqf.     ft 
was  on  this  occasion  that  the  marshal  de  Monfcwerency  fait 
forwards  nonstable  .of  Franee)  introduced  Du  Moulin  ** 
(be  kjng,  with  these  words,  «f  Sire*  what  your  majesty  has 
not  been  able  to. do  with  &OQ,000  men,  .has  been  effenfted 
by  .this  little  man  (Du  Mouliu  was  of  abort  statute)  with  to 
Uttle  bppk.,? ,  The  court  of  fteme,  hbwave*,  j&ewer  fargdfc 
^tbe  injury.:  CJep&ent  VIII.  ordered  hie  works  to  be  burnt} 
And  they  were  placed  in  the  "  Index  ei^uigaAojriuV'  i* 
the  first  class  of  (prohibited;  books.    .In  the  penuatssiees 
pfhicb  usedtt)  be  given  to  read  certain  works,  in  4he  todefffc 
ihoee  of  Machianel  and  **  the  impint*  Du  Moulin"  were 
aiway$.£303pted.    Those,  however,  wbo  in  the  coiraMrie* 
f/vhere  tiie  Index  of  prohibited  'bodes  was  unspectad,  were 
unwilling  to  Ue  time  totally  deprived  ef  the  benefit  arising 
/row  Du  flfoulinYable  writings  on  jurwpnadeikce,  contrived 
4©  have  them  reprinted  under  the  fictitious  name  of  Ganpor 
£aballinu$  de  Cdnguk;  and  h  was  under  that  Maine  that  the; 
Used  to  be  quoted  for  many  years.     But  it  was  oat  only  at 
;Rome  where  Du  Moulin  had  tp  encounter  the  .prejudices 
jof  the  times;   even  iu  France,  although  his  ^Observa- 
-tjon^  sur  l'Edit  du  Roi  Henry  II."  (for  such  was  Che  title  of 
ftbe  work)  was  dedicated  to  the  king,  and  printed  with  the 
ffPJ? a} privilege,  it  did  not  fail  to  itender;hu»  very  abnosieus 
to  such  of  his  countrymen  as  preferred  the  interests  of 
JRptne  to  the  indepfendeat  rights  of  the  kingdom;  and  the 
^uthprity  of  parliament  was  scaroely  sufficient  to  protect 
Jbipa  from  their  vengeance,  which  proceeded  to  such  eels 
M  yioleuq^  that  after  the  mob  Jhad  pillaged  Ms  house,,  .aad 


attevopted  bis  li£ef  he  waa.obliged  to  seek  an  asylum  iq 
Gerjnany,  where  be  was  :  very  kindly  received.  After  se*» 
f^VW  fw  some  time  at  Tubingen,  where  people  flocked 
ff^aisM  quarters  for  the  benefit  of  bis  advice,  be  was  enT 
coqraged  to  return,  to  Paris,  but  bad  scarcely  resumed  bU 
accustomed  pursuits,  when  ti|e  religious  commotions  which 
broke  out  in  that  city,  obliged  him  again,  to  leave  it,  after 
peeiag  bis  house  a  second  time  pillaged.  He  now  retired 
to-Qrieaos,  and  afterwards  to  Lyons,  wbere  bis  enemies 
procured  him  to  be  imprisoned*  On  being  released,  be  re* 
furued  to  Paris,  where  new  troubles  awaited  bim.  H$ 
£vst  became  obnoxious  to  the  Jesuits,  whose  society  waa 
4iow  .rising  into  consequence,  and  who  wanted  to  be  per-" 
jaaitted  to  establish  a  college  for  education.  This  was  opr 
jwsed  by  the  university  of  Paris,  and  Du  Moulin  supported. 
,their  opposjtion>  The  Jesuits,  however,  backed  by  the 
chancellor  Hospital,  gained  their  point,  as  the  parliament 
was  induced  to  believe  that  the  mode  of  education  among 
4be  Jesuits  would  be  an  effectual  check  to  the  introduction 
of  the  new  errors,  i  *♦  the  principles  of  the  reformation,  • 

The  next  opportunity  which  Du  Moulin  bad  to  give  hi? , 
advice,  was  attended  with  more  serious  consequences  tp 
■Win.  The  council  of  Trent  bad  just  broken  up,  and  the 
.question  was,  whether  its  proceedings  should  be  recognized 
4u  France.  The  papal  ambassadors,  and  those  of  (be  most 
.powerful  princes  in  Europe,  were  for  this  measure  i  but  it 
was  opposed  by  the  .leading  members  of  the  French  king'* 
^administration,  wj^  wer$  0f  opinion  that  it  would  reoeir 

those  civil  dissentions  which  had  been   in  some  degree 
quieted,  aud  that  the  council  of  Trent  bad  made  certain 
regulations  contrary  to  the  liberties  and  royal  privileges  q£ 
JTranc^  which  they  could  by  no  means  approve.,  in  a 
council  held  at  Footaiubleau,  Feb.  £7>  1564,  this  subject 
occasioned  a  very  warm  altercation  between  the  chancellor 
,  Hospital  and  the  cardinal  of  Lorraine ;  and  chiefly  by  the 
persuasive  inAue-nce  of  the  former,  it  was  determined  that 
the  proceedings  of  the  council  of  Trent  should  uot  be  pub- 
lished in  France.     Du  Mpulin,  being  solicited  for  bis  ad-\ 
•/ciee  pn  this  occasion,  published  his  "  Conseil  sv^r  le  fait  <fci 
Cwuttto  de  Trent*,"  Lyous,  1564,  Svo,  in  which  he  tabes 
<&  very  enlarged  view  of  ail  the  decrees  of  that  meiqecabte 
^tnmeil,  am)  shews  them  to  be  at  variance  with  the  9pi« 
.#k>osfpf  the  fathers  «©f  *bQ  church,  and  hostile  to  thf  liber-* 
,ttt§  oi  F*ww.    Tb«  mw&  of  .his  te»pw  le^dwgtoa  ¥> 


474  MOULIN. 

use  the  plainest  expressions,  as  was  the  custom  with  the 
writers  of  the  age,  he  afforded  ample  ground  for  a  fresh 
persecution  by  his  enemies.  They  now  accused  him  of 
exciting  sedition,  and  disturbing  the  public  tranquillity,  and 
were  so  successful  in  these  misrepresentations,  that  some 
of  those  who  were  the  first  to  advise  him  to  publish  the 
above  work,  now  gave  him  up,  and  even  the  parliament 
with  all  the  esteem  which  most  of  the  members  entertained 
for  him,  was  obliged  to  issue  an  order  to  imprison  him, 
nor  did  he  recover  bis  liberty  but  upon  condition  that  he 
should  print  nothing  without  the  king's  permission.  Scarcely 
had  be  escaped  from  this  danger,  When  he  was  attacked  by 
the  protestant  party,  who  forgetting  his  services  in  the 
common  cause  against  die  see  of  Rome,  could  never  for- 
give him  for  having  deserted  the  profession  he  once  made 
of  being  an  adherent  of  Calvin,  and  ordered  his  works  to 
be  burnt  at  Geneva.  He  had  indeed  about  this  time  given 
them  more  reason  than  they  ever  had  before,  by  representing 
their  ministers  as  coming  into  France  for  no  other  purpose 
than  to  introduce  a  spirit  of  discord  and  insubordination7, 
tod  under  pretence  of  an  imaginary  liberty,  to  reduce  the 
constitution  of  the  kingdom  to  a  republican  form. 

While  the  public  was  interested  with  these  contests,  Du 
Moulin  was  released  from  any  farther  concern  in  them.  He 
died  Dec.  27,  1566,  surrounded,  we  are  told,  by  three 
doctors  of  the  Sorbonne,  to  whom,  in  his  last  moments,  he 
explained  the  mysterious  doctrine  of  predestination  with 
great  clearness  and  precision.  Thuanus  says  that  he  had 
some  time  before  his  death  become  a  genuine  catholic, 
for  which  he  assigned  as  a  reason  the  factious  conduct  of 
many  of  the  reformed. 

Du  Moulin  was  not  only  one  of  the  most  profound 

lawyers,  but  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  his  time,  and 

his  works  were  long  held  in  the;  highest  estimation,  while 

the  study  of  law,  upon  liberal  principles,  was  encouraged 

in  France.     Bernardi,  one  of  the  writers  in  the  "  Biog. 

Universelle,"  published  in  1814,  has  ventured  to  entertain 

hopes  that  the  happy  event  of  that  year  which  restored  to 

France  her  legitimate  sovereign,  would  also  restore  to  her 

that  system  of  laws  which  had  so  long  been  her  glory  and 

'  happiness ;  and  in  that  hope  (too  soon  disappointed)  he 

•  predicts  that  the  reputation  of  Du  Moulin  would  revive. 

Du  Moulin' s  works,  most  of  which  were  published  sepa- 

'  rately,  .were  collected  in  1612,  in  an  edition  of  S  vols,  folio, 


M  6  U  L  I  N.  4f*- 

f 

t 

and  again,  in  1654,  in  4  vols.;  but  the  most  valuable  t*: 
(hat  of  Paris,  1681,  5  vols,  folio,  edited  by  Francis  Pinson, 
In  1773,  Garrigan,  a  bookseller  of  Avignon,  issued  a  pro-' 
spectus  for  a  new  edition,  which  has  not  yet  appeared. . 
This  prospectus  contained  an  eloge  on  Du  Moulin,  which 
Henrkm  de  Pensey  pronounced  in  an  assembly  of  the  ad- 
vocates, and  had  prefixed  to  his  edition  of  the  "Analyse* 
des  Fiefs,"  taken  from  Du  Moulin's  commentary  on  the 
law  of  Paris,  Several  other  writers  have  written  the  life1 
of  this  very  eminent  jurist,  particularly  Brodeau,  1654, 4 to.1 

MOULIN  (Peter  du),  a  very  celebrated  French  pro- 
testant  minister,  and  of  the  same  family  with  Charles  du' 
Moulin,  was  born  at  Vex  in  Oct.  18,  1568.  He  imbibed 
the  rudiments  of  literature  at  Sedan  ;*  and,  when  he  ar<* 
rived  at  twenty  years  of  age,  was  sent  to  finish  his  educa- 
tion in  England,  where  he  became  a  member  of  Christ" 
college  in  Cambridge.  After  a  residence  of  four  years  in 
England,  he  went  to  Holland  in  the  retinue  of  the  duke 
of  Wirtemberg,  but  was  shipwrecked  in  his  passage,  and 
lost  all  his  books  and  baggage.  This  occasioned  his  ele- 
gant poem  entitled  "Votiva  Tabula,"  which  did  him  great 
credit,  and  procured  him  many  friends.  The  French  am- 
bassador became  one,  of  his  patrons  (for  Henry  IV.  at  that 
time  sent  protest  ant  ambassadors  into  protestant  countries), 
and  recommended  him  to  the  queen-mother,  by  whose  in- 
terest he  obtained  the  professorship  of  philosophy  at  Ley- 
den,  then  vacant.  This  he  held  for  five  or  six  years;  and 
among  other  disciples,  who  afterwards  became  celebrated, 
he  had  Hugo  Grotius.  He  read  lectures  upon  Aristotle^ 
and  disciplined  his  scholars  in  the  art  of  disputing;  of 
which  he  made  himself  so  great  a  master,  that  he  Wat 
enabled  to  enter  with  great  spirit  and  success  into  the  con- 
troversies with  the  catholics.  Scaliger  was  very  much  htS 
patron;  apd  when  Du  Moulin  published  his  Logic  alt  Ley- 
den  in  1596,  said  of  the  epistle  prefatory,  "  heec  epistola 
non  est  hujus  eevi."  He  taught  Greek  also  in  the  divinity 
schools,  in  which  he  was  extremely  well  skilled,  as  appears 
from  his  book  entitled  "  Novitas  Papismi,"  where  he  ex* 
poses  cardinal  Perron's  ignorance  of  that  language.  > 

Iu  1599'  he  went  to  Paris,  to  be  minister  at  Charentoiii 
and  chaplain  to  Catharine  of  Bourbon,  the  king's  sister, 

who  was  then  married  to  Henry  of  Lorraine,  duke  of  Bar; 

.  .  .  ,  « 

1  Bi?f»  Ui^verselle,  art  Dumoulih.— Moreri.— Saxii  Ooonuit         #  ^ 


4flfi  M ;  o  p  t  I  N,: 

and  contnwed  a  determined  protestant  rn  spite  of  aH  fet* 
tempts .  to  convert  her,  TJ*e  pope  applied  to  Henry  IV* 
concerning  the  conversion  of  his  sister,  and  Henry  em- 
ployed bis  divine*  *o  argue  with  her;  but  Da.  M&pTtfi 
strengthened  her  sentiments  against  all  tbeir  artifices. 
Perron  and  Cotton  were  tbe  men  chiefly  employed,  with 
whom  Du  Moulin  had  frequent  conflict*;  and  when  Henry 
begged  her  only  to  bear  bis  chaplains  preaob,  she  con- 
sented to  bear  father  Cotton*  who  was  immediately  ordered 
to  preach  before  the  king  wd  his  sister  in  the  very  pJaoQ 
where  D14  Moulin  had  preached  before.  On  this  pccasipn, 
tojsecore  herself  tbe  better  against  tbe  wiles  of  this  Jesuit, 
•he  contrive*!  to  have  Du  Mouliti  «o  placed  that  he,  might 
bear  -aH  that  Cotton  said, 

.  Though  Henry  IV.  did  not  much  relish  Du  Moulia'a 
^nidfarours  to  convert  his  sister,  yet  he  had  always  a  great 
jfqgard  for  hbn,  of  which  Du  Moulin  retained  a  very  grate* 
fui  renaeeibjanoe ;  and  after  the  death  of  Henry,  in  1610* 
fee  publicly  charged  tbe  murder  of  that  monarch  upon 
Cotton  and  the  whole  order  of  Jesuits.  It  had  beou  said 
that  Ravilliac  was  excited  to  that, desperate  act  by  some 
opiaume  derived  from  the  writings  of  the  Jesuits,  of  M*« 
viana  in  particular,  touching  tbe  persons  and  authority  of 
kings*:  upon  which  account  father  Cotton  published  aa 
"  ApoJogeuoal  Piece,"  40  ebew  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Je- 
suits was  exactly  conformable  to  the  decrees  of  the  council 
tf  Trent.  This  was  answered  by  Du  Moulin  ie  a  fyook 
fmtitJed  "  Anticottoa ;  or,  a  ilefutauoa  of  father  Cot- 
ton.;"  hi  which  be  endeavoured  to  prove  that  the  Jesuit* 
yvere  the  seal  aatfutfs  of  that  execrable  parricide  ;  though 
feme  indeed  have  doubted  whether  he  was  the  author  of 
that  boqk-  la  1615,  James  I.  who  had  loqg  corresponded 
frith  Du  Moulin  by  leWters,,  invited  bina  t*o  England;  hut 
tbi*  invitation  his  church  at  Paris  would  not  suffer  him  4ft 
accept  till  he  bad  gpwo  -a  solemn  promise*  ,in  the  lace  of 
bi$  eeflgregaliiofi,  that  Jwe  would  return  to  them  at  the  end 
tf  three  months,.  The  kieg  received  him  with  great  affeo 
tip? ;  tpojt  him  to  Cambridge  at  the  time  of  th4  commence*- 
merit,  where  he  was  ho»oured  with  a  doctor's  degree ;  aud^ 
at  h^  departure  from  Eqgtoid,  presented  him  with  a  pre- 
j^ud  in  ihe  church  of  £aate*bury.  Du  MeuAm  had  after? 
wards  iuovwaerahle  di$pmtes  with  the  Jeeuits,  ^ho,  whea 
they  found  htm  deaf  to  their  promises  of  great  rewards* 
attemjitad  more  than  "once  tots  Kfe,  56  that  he  tfasdbliged 


HOULIK  H79 

a*  length  always  to  bare  a  guard.     In  1€17J  wften  the 
United  Provinces  desired  the  reformed  churches  of  'Eng- 
land, France,  and  Germany  to  send  some  of  their  ministers 
to  the  synod  of  Dort,  Du  Moulin  and  three  ©there  were 
deputed  by  the  Gallican  church,  but  were  forbidden  to  go 
hy  the  king  upon  pain  of  death.     In  IfrlS  be  bad  *n  invi>- 
tation  from  Leyden  to  All  their  divinity  chair,  which  4&fe 
vacant,  but  refused  to  accept  of  it.    In  162Q>  when  he 
Was  preparing  to  go  to  the  national  synod  of  the  Gallic**, 
church,  lord  Herbert  of  Cberbury,  then  ambassador  from 
Britain  at  the  court  of  France,  asked  him  to  write  to  king 
^amee,  and  to  urge  him,  if  possible,  to  undertake  the  de- 
fence of  hie  son-in-law  the  king  of  Bohentfa^  who  the* 
stood  in  need  of  it.  '  Du  Moulin  at  first  declined  the  office^; 
hut  the  ambassador,  knowing  his  interest  with  James,  wfttrid 
Dot  admit  of  any  excuse.     This  brought  him  into  trfcuble^; 
ibr  it  was  satm  after  decreed  by  an  order  of  parliament,  tblK 
tie  should  be  seized  and  imprisoned*  for  having*  solicited  & 
-foreign  prince  to  take  up  arms  for  the  ptfotestant  churches. 
Apprised  of  this,  be  secretly  betook  himself  to  the  amba£» 
sador  lord  Herbert,  who  suspected  that  his  letters  to  the 
king  were  intercepted ;  and  who  advised  him  to  fly,  as  the 
4>nly  means  of  providing  for  his  safety.    He  went  to  Sedaw, 
where  he  accepted  the  divinity-professorship  and  the<  mi*- 
n  is  try  of  the  church  ;  both  which  he  held  to  the  time  of  bk 
tieath,  which  happened  March  10,  1668,  in  his  ninetieth 
•year.     He  took  a  journey  into  England  in  1-62$,  when  car1- 
danal  Perron's  book  was  published  against  king  James  % 
and,  at  that  kiftg*s  instigation,  undertook  -to  answer  ifc 
This  answer  was  published  at  Sedan,  alter  the  death  of 
James,  under  the  title  of  "No  vitas  Papism  i,  sire  PerronJl 
eonfofeatio,  regisqoe  Jacobi,  sed  magis  saeffe  veritali*  de^ 
ftnsio."     He  was  the  author  of  many  other  learned  works, 
«rf  which  the  principal  are,  "  The  Anatomy  of  Aiwinian- 
ism;"  •«  A  Treatise  on  the  Keys  of  the  Church ;'*  *«The 
Capuchin,  or  History  o#  the  Monks;"  *  A  Defence  of  the 
,  Reformed  Churches,'*  &c.  &e.  * 
-    MOULIN  (Peter  du),  son  of  the  preceding,  and  a 
clergyman  of  the  church  of  England,  was  bom  at  Paris* 
sebovt  1 600.    He  studied  at  Lejden,  where  he  was  admitted 
*o  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity,     lie  afterwards  came 


*  Th*  best  account  we  h»«e*eeii  of  0u  Jtfoftlife  if  tfcaf  n  jp*te*V  ^jt#  $*kc- 
toram  Virorum.— S**ii  Oaonait. 


478  H  O  ULI  NI- 

to  England,  and  was  incorporated  in  the*  same  degree  at 
the  university  of  Cambridge.  He  was  patronized  by  RU 
;cbard,  eari  of  Cork,  who  appointed  him  governor  to  hi* 
sons,  whom  be  afterwards  accompanied  to  Oxford.  Here 
<Du  Moulin  remained  two  years  or  more,  and  preached  fre* 
jqugDtly  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter  in  the  East.  After  the 
restoration .  of  Charles  II.  he  was  appointed  chaplain  in 
•ordinary  to  bis  majesty,  and  a  prebendary  of  Canterbury, 
in  which  city  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died 
in  1684,  in  the  eighty-fourth  yfear  of  bis  age.  He  was 
•author  of  several  works,  of  which  we  may  mention,  I. 
"The  Peace  of  the  Soul;"  a  translation  of  which  was 
published  by  Dr.  John  Scrope,  in  1765,  2  vols.  2.  J*  A 
Defence  of  the  Protestant  Religion."  Of  this  book  the 
reader  may  see  a  curious  account  in  Gent.  Mag.  vol.  XLIIL 
p.  369.  He  was  author  of  the  famous  work  entitled  "  Re- 
git Sanguinis  Clamor  ad  Coelum,"  which  was  published  at 
the  Hague,  in  1652,  by  M.  Alexander  More.  Anthony 
.Wood  gives  him  the  character  of  an, honest,  zealous  Cel- 
viuist.  He  had  a  younger  brother,  Lewis  Du  Moulin,  who 
•settled  also  in  England,  where  he  long  distinguished  hiro- 
<self  by.  bis  violent  and  illiberal  writings  against  the  church 
of  England,  the  titles. of  which  are  given  by  Wood;  but 
he  retracted  many  of  his  opinions  in  the  presence  of  Dr. 
.Burnet,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  Oct.  20,  1683.1  - 

;  MOUNTAGU,  or  MONTAGUE  (Richard>,  a  learnetf 
English  divine,  born  in  1578,  at  Dorney  in  Buckingham^ 
shire,  was  the  son  of  the  rev.  Lawrence  Mountague,  vicar- 
of  that  place.  He  was  educated  at  Eton  school,  on  the 
foundation,  and  was  elected  thence  to  King's  college, 
Cambridge,,  in  1594,  where  be  obtained  a  fellowship.  After 
taking  his  bachelor's  degree  in  1598,  and  that  of  M.  A.  in 
.1602,  be  entered  into  orders,  and  obtained  the  living  of 
Wotton-Courtney  in  the  diocese  of  Wells,  and  also  a  pre* 
tend  of  that  church.  The  editor  of  his  life  in  the  Biog. 
Brit  says  that  his  nest,  promotion  was  to  a  fellowship  of 
Eton  college,  where  he  assisted  sir  Henry  Savile  in  pre- 
paring .bis  celebrated  edition  of  St. Chrysostom's  works; 
and  in  1610,  he  published  there,  in  4to,  "The  two  Invec- 
tives of  Gregory  Nazianzen  against  Julian,19  with  the  notes 
*>f  Nounus ;  but  although  the  latter  part  of  this  may  be  true, 

*  Ath.  Ox.  rol.  IT.— Preface  to  Dr.  Scrope's  edition  of  his  "  Pence  of  *ko 
Soul."— Birch'*  Tillotson.  * 


MOUNTA6U  479 

be  was  not  chosen  fellow  of  Eton  until  April  29,  1613,  in 
which  year  also  (May  14)  he  was  inducted  into  the  rectory 
©f  Stamford  Rivera  in  Essex,  then  in  the  gift  of  Eton  col- 
lege. .  On  the  death  of  Isaac  Casaubon,  he  was  requested 
by  the  king  to  write  some  animadversions  on  the  Annals  of 
itaropius,  for  which  he  was  well  qualified,  having  made 
ecclesiastical  history  very  much  bis  study  from  bis  earliest 
years. .  He  bad  in  fact  begun  to  make  notes  on  Baironius 
for  his  private  use,  which  coming  to  the  ears  of  the  king, 
James  I,,  himself  no  contemptible  theologian,  be  intimated 
his  pleasure  op  the  subject  to  Mr.  Mountagu,  who  began 
to  prepare  for  the  press  in  1615.     He  was  at  this  time 
chaplain  to  his  majesty,  and  the  following  year  was  pro- 
mpted to  the  deanery  of  Hereford,  which  he  resigned  soon, 
after  for  the  archdeaconry,   and  was  admitted  into  that 
office  Sept.  15,  1617.     In  July  1620,  he  proceeded  bache-> 
loj  of  divinity,  and  with  his  fellowship  of  Eton  held,  by 
dispensation,  £  canonry  of  Windsor. 
'  In  )621t  he  preached  a  sermon  before  thekiftgat  Wind- 
sor, upon  Ps.  1.  15,  in  which  there  were  some  expressions 
supposed  by  some  of  his  bearers  to  favour  the  Romish  doc- 
trine of  invocation  of  saints ;  and  this  obliged  him  to  pub- 
lish bis  sentiments  more  fully  in  a  treatise  "  On  the  Invo- 
cation of  Saints,"  which,  although  be  fancied  it  a  complete 
defence,  certainly  gave  rise  to  those  suspicions  which  bis 
eqeinies  afterwards  urged  more,  fully  against  him.    The 
same  year*,  be  published  his  "  Diatribes  upon  the  first  part 
of  Mr.  SeldenY  History  of  Tytbes."     In  this  work  he  en- 
deayours,  and  certainly  not  unsuccessfully,  to  convict  Sel- 
den  of  many  errors,  and  of  obligations  to  other  authors 
which  he  has  neglected  to  acknowledge.     The  king,  at 
least,  was  so  much  pleased  with  it,  as  to  order  Selden  to 
desist,  from  the  dispute.     It  appears  by  this  work  thit  Mr. 
Mountagu  availed  himself  of  many  manuscripts  which  be 
bad  been  ^t  the  expence  of  procuring  from  abroad,  and  it 
is  said  that  there  were  a  great  mauy  of  these  in  his  library 
when  he  died,  but  that  they  were  taken  away  by  Millicetu, 
his  chaplain,  who  became  a  Jesuit    In  1622  he  published 
•  his  animadversions  on  the  annals  of  Baronius,  under  the 
title  of  "  Analecta  Ecclesiasticarum  Exercitationum,''  fol. 
-   In  1624  be  became  involved  in  those  controversies  and 
imputations  on  his  character  as  a  divine,  which,  more  or 
less,   disturbed  the  tranquillity  of  tbe  whole  of  bis  life. 
They  were,  occasioned  by  the  following  circumstances. 


m  s* a  a  fir  r  x  e  if. 

Some  popfch  prieks  tod  Jesuit*  wwe  cfceetttfcg  i&ei*  fhk> 
aionat  Stamford  -Hi ver  9,  m  Essex,  of  wbieh  he  w&atberi 
vector;  and  to  secure  his  flock  against  then*  attempt*,  hW 
left  some  propositions  at  the  place  of- their  meeting,  wi& 
an  intimation  that,  if  any  of  those  mksionorteS  cqtila  g*?e  * 
satisfactory  answer  to  the  Queries  he  had  ptity  he  would 
immediately  become  their  proselyte.  .  In  «h4se*  fee  W-» 
quired  of  the  papists  to  prove,  that  the  present  Rotnait 
church  is  either  the  catholic  church-,  o¥  a  sound  lttefriber  of 
the  catholie  church  $  fckat  the  present  church  of 'England  i» 
not  a  troe  meo&bor  of  the  ctttholite  chmtoh  $  a«4  that!  ail 
those  points,  or  any  one  of  those*  points  whifeh  theofttfrcfc 
ef  Roff>e  maintains  agaiost  the  church,  of  England,  weite* 
or  was,  the  perpetual  dtodiiine  of-  the  catholic  chttfeh,  the 
decided  doctrine  of  the  representative  church  iff  any  gene- 
ral council,  or  national  -approved  by  a*gerteral  council,  e* 
the  dogmatical  resoilutifon  of  any  one-  father  /or  500  yeari 
after  Christ.  On  their  prating  at!  this  m  tbe*  affira*awe,' 
be  promised  to  subscribe*  to  their  foklfc  -  laateatV  however, 
ef  returning  any  answer;  a  stoall  pamphlet  was  left  atlas! 
for  bin*,  entitled"  A  new  Gag  for  the  oM  Gospel.*'1  .T<* 
this  he  replied  in  *  Anf  Atrtvtfer  to  the-late  ©aggerbf  the 
Protestants,"  1624,  4*9,  which?  ga*e  great  offence  to  the 
Calvmists,  at  that  time  *  very  numerous  afrid-  powerful  party* 
in  the  church,  aad  thn*  drew  aporf  him  eneiwies*  from  i 
quarter  he  did  not  expect  <  and?  thei*  indignation  against 
him  nm  so  high,  that  Ward'  and  Yates,  ttote-  lectafafrs-  a* 
Ipswich,  collected  out  of  bis  hook  sanie  pointy  whkfrtfeey 
conceived  to  savour  of  popery  arid.ArmiHfei»is*i^"?ft  orrfetf 
to  have  them  presented  to  the  n£xt  papfiftment*  Meurrta£&> 
having  procured  a  copy  of  the  information-  aga^rtst*  mj 
applied  to  the*  kmgfbr  protection,  whjo  •  gavfc  bin*  leave  to 
appeal  to  himself,  and  to  prtat'hb  defence.  Upon  Afcy 
be  wrote  his  book  entitled  **  AppeHo*  CGes^rem-;  a- Jest  Ajy- 
pealagainst  two*  nnjusti  Informers* ;"  wWeh,  bdvthg  tike  ap- 
probation of  Dr.  White,  deatoef  C&fis^  wiiieea  fctng  James 
ordered  to  read,  and  give  bis- seffee  ef  it,  was  published  iot 
1625,  4to,  but  addressed  to  Cbarie»I.  James  dyri*£  before 
the  book  was  printed  off. 

Id  this  work  many  of  the  actowewtedged dartiines'ef tte 
cburrh  of  England  are  undoubtedly  marntkified  with?  great 
force  of  argument,  but  there  are  other  points'  in  wfrtci*  he 
afforded  jest  grottnd  for  the  suspicions  alleged  agmiat  htttf; 
and  that  this  wa*  the  opifiiea  of  caany  divines  ofttett  period 


MOUNTAGU.  4Sf 

appeared  from  the  answers  to  his  «  Appeal"  published  by, 
1.  Dr.  Matthew  Sutdiffe,  dean  of  Exeter.  2.  Mr.  Henry 
Button  in  his  "  Plea  to  an  Appeale,"  Lond.  1626,  4to.  3. 
Mr.  Franels  Rous,  afterwards  provost  of  Eton  college,  in 
Ma"  Testis  Veritatis,"  ibid.  1626,  4to.  4.  Mr.  John  Yates, 
B.  D>  formerly  fellow  of  Emanuel  college  rn  Cambridge, 
•fterwards  minister  of  St.  Andrew's  in  Norwich,  in  his  bbok 
entitled  " Ibis  ad  Csesarem,"  ibid.  1626,  4to.  5.  Mr.  An- 
thony Wotton,  professor  of  divinity  in  Gresham  college.  6. 
Dr.  Daniel  Featly,  in  his  "  Pelagius  Redivivus ;  or,  Pela- 
gius  raked  out  of  the  ashes  by  Arminius  and  his  scholars," 
ibid.  1624?,  4to.  This  book  contains  two  parallels,  one  be- 
tween the  Pelagians  end  Arminians;  the  other  between  the 
church  of  Rome,  the  appealer,  Mr.  Mountagu,  and  the. 
church  of  England,  in  three  columns  ;  together  with  a  writ 
of  error  sued  against  the  appealer.  7.  Dr.  George  Carle- 
ton,  bishop  of  Chichester,  in  his  "  Examination  of  those 
things^  wherein  the  author  of  the  late  Appeale  holdeth  the 
doctrmes  of  the  Pelagians  and  Arminians  to  be  the  doc- 
trines of  the  church  of  England,'*  ibid.  1626,  4to. 
'  The  controversy,  however^  was  not  to  be  left  to  divines, 
who  may  be  supposed  judges  of  the  subject.  The  parlia- 
ment which  met  June  18,  1625,  thought  proper  to  take  up 
tlie  subject,  and  Mr.  Mountagu*  was  ordered  to  appear 
before  the  House  of  Commons,  and  being  brought  to  the 
bar  July  17,  the  speaker  told  him,  that  it  was  the  pleasure 
erf  the  House,  that  rtie  censure  of  his  books  faould  be  post- 
poned for  some  time ;  but  that  in  the  interim,  he  should  be 
committed  to  the  custody  of  the  serjeant  at  arms.  He  was 
afterward*  obliged  to  give  the  security  of  2000/.  for  his 
appearance.  The  king,  however,  was  displeased  with  the 
parliament's  proceedings  against  our  author;  and  bishop 
Laud  applied  to  the  duke  of  Buckingham  in  his  favour ; 
'  Mr.  Mountagu  also  wrote  a  letter  to  that  duke,  entreating 
htm  to  represent  his  case  to  his  majesty  ;  and  this  applica- 
tion was  seconded  some  few  days  after  by  a  letter  of  the 
bishops  of  Oxford,  Rochester,  and  St.  David's,  to  the  duke. 
In  the  next  parliament,  in  1626,  our  author's  Appeflo  Cse- 
aarem"  was  referred  to  the  consideration  of  the  committee 
for  religion,  from  whom  Mr.  Pym  brought  a  report  on*  the 
I#th  of  April  concerning  several  erroneous  opinions  con- 
tained in  it.  Upon  this  it  was  resolved  by  the  House  of 
Commons,  1.  "  That  Mr.  Mountagu  had  disturbed  the 
peace  of  the  church,  by  publishing  doctrines,  contrary  to 
Vol*  XXII.  1 1 


«?  ty  0  U'N  T'A  G'U. 

the  articles  of  the  church  of  England,  and  the  book  of 
homilies.  2.  That  there  are  divers  passages  in  bis  book, 
especially  against  those  he  calteth  puritans,  apt  to  move 
sedition  betwixt  the  king  and  his  subjects,  and  between 
subject  and  subject.  3.  Tlu}t  the  whole  (Tame  and. scope 
of  bis  books  is  to  discourage  the  well-affected  in  religion 
from  the  true  religion  established  in  the  church,  and  to 
incline  them,  and,  as  much  as  in  him  lay,  to  reconcile  them 
to  popery."  And  accordingly  articles  were  exhibited 
against  him  ;  but  it  does  not  appear,  that  this  impeach- 
ment Mas  luid  before  the  House  of  Lords,  or  in  what  man- 
ner the  Commons  intended  to  prosecute  their  charge,  or 
how  far  they  proceeded.  Kusb  worth,  after  much  inquiry, 
could  not  find  that  Mr.  Mountagu  was  brought  tp  his  de* 
fence,  or  that  he  returned  any  answer  to  the  articles. 

This  prosecution  from  the  parliament  seems  to  have  re- 
commended him  more  strongly  to  the  court,  for,  in  1 6Sjfy 
be  Was  advanced  to  the  bishopric  of  Chichester,  on  the 
death  of  one  of  bis  opponents,  Dr.  Carleton.  On  August 
22,  1628,  the  day  appointed  for  his  confirmation,  a.singu? 
lar  scene  took  place.  On  such  occasions  it  is  usual  to  give 
a  formal  notice,  that  if  any  person  can  object  either  against 
the  party  elected,  %  or  the  legality  of  the  election,  they  are 
to  come  and-  offer  their,  exceptions  at  the.  day  prefixed; 
This  intimation  being  given,  one  Mr.  Humphreys,  and 
William  Jones,  a.  stationer  of  London,  excepted  against 
Mountagu  as  a  person  unqualified  for  the  episcopal  func- 
tion, charging  him  with  popery,  Arminianism,  and .  other 
heterodoxies,  for  which  his  books  had  been  censured  in 
the  former  parliament.  Fuller  tells  us,  "  that  exception 
was  taken  at  Jones's  exceptions  (which  the  record  calls 
*  praetensos  Articulos)'  as  defective  in  some  legal  formali- 
ties. I  have  been  informed,"  continues  he,  "it  was  a}? 
ledged  against  him  for  bringing  in  his  objections  viva  voce, 
and  not  by  a  proctor,  that  court  adjudging  all  private  per- 
sons effectually  dumb,  who  speak  not  by  one  admitted  to 
plead  therein.  Jones  returned,  that  he  could  not  get  any 
proctor,  though  pressing  them  importunately,  and  profer* 
in*g  them  their  fee  to  present  his  exceptions,  and  therefore 
was  necessitated  ore  terms  there  to  al ledge  them  .against  .Mr. 
Mountagu.  The  register  wentioneth  bo  particular ,  de- 
fects in  his  exceptions;  but  Dr.  Rives,  substitute,  at  that 
time  for  the  vicar-general,  declined  to  take  any  notice  of 
them,    and  concludeth  Jones  amongst  the  contumacious, 


Jl  O  U  N  T  A  G  a  483 

*  quod  nullo  modo  -legitime  comparuit,  nee  aliquid  iri  hac 
parte  juxta  Juris  exigentiam  diceret,  exciperet,  vel  oppo- 
nent' Yet  this  good  Jones  did  bishop  Mountagu,  that  he 
caused  his  addresses  to  the  king  to  procure  a  pardon,,  which 
was  granted  unto  him,  in  form  like  those  given  at  the  co- 
ronation, save  that  some  particulars  were  inserted  therein, 
for  the  pardoning  of  all  errors  heretofore  committed  either 
in  speaking,  writing,  or  publishing,  whereby  he  might 
hereafter  be  questioned." 

With  the  bishopric  of  Chichester,  he  was  allowed  to 
bold  the  rectory  of  Petworth,  and  having  now  a  protection 
•from  his  enemies,  he  applied  himself  closely  to  his  fa- 
vourite study  of  ecclesiastical  history;  fend  first  published 
bis  "  Originum  Ecclesiasticarum  Apparatus,"  at  Oxford, 
1635,  which  was  followed  in  1636  by  his  "«Originum  Ec- 
clesiasticarum, Tomus  Primus,"  Lond.  fol.  In  1638,  on 
the  promotion  of  Dr.  Wren  to  Ely,  bishop  Mountagu  was 
translated  to  Norwich.  Although  now  in  a  bad  state  of 
health,  from  an  aguish  complaint,  he  continued  his  re- 
searches into  ecclesiastical  history,  and  published  a  second 
volume  under  the  title  of  "  Theanthropicon ;  seudeyita 
Jesu  Christi  origitium  ecclesiasticarum  libri  duo.  Accedit 
Graecorum  versio,  et  index  utriusque  partis,"  Lond.  1640. 
Be  died  April  13,  1641,  and  was  interred  in  the  choir  of 
Norwich  cathedral.  After  his  death  appeared  a  pbsthu-" 
mousworky  "The  Acts  and  Mohumehts  of  the  Church 
before  Christ  incarnate,"  1642,  fol.  with  the  singularity 
of  a  dedication  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  Latin,  which  he  had 
himself  prepared.  In  1651  also  was  published  his  "  Versio 
et  not©  in  Photii  epistolas,"  Gr.  Lat.  fol. 

•  Bishop  Mountagu  was  allowed  by  his  opponents  to  be 
a  man  of  extensive  learning,  particularly  in  ecclesiastical 
history;  but  of  a  warm  temper,  and  from  his  attachment 
to  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  holding  some  peculiar  opi- 
nions, which  were  acceptable  neither  to  churchmen  or  sec- 
taries. Fuller  says  of  him,  that  "  his  great  parts  were  at- 
tended with  a  tartness  of  writing ;  very  sharp  the  nib  of  his 
pen,  and  much  gall  in  the  ink,  against  such  as  opposed 
him.  However,  such  the  equability  of  this  sharpness  of 
Ms  style,  he  was  impartial  therein  :  be  he  ancient  or  mo- 
dem writer,  papist  or  protestant,  that  stood  in  his  way, 
they  should  equally  taste  thereof."  Selden  was  one  of 
those  against  whom  he  exercised  not  a  little  of  this  sharp- 
ness of  style;  and  yet,  which  is  a  considerable,  testimony 

ii  2 


4*4  MOUNTFORT. 

in  hi*  favour,  "  he  owns  him  to  have  been  a  man  well 
akilled  in  ancient  learning."1 

MOUNTFORT  (William),  an  English  dramatic  writer, 
but  in  much  greater  eminence  as  an  actor,  was  born  in 
,1659,  in  Steffardahire.  bis  probable,  that  he  vent  early 
upon  the  stage,  as  it  is  certain  that  he  died  young ;  and 
Jacob  informs  us,  that,  after  hit  attaining  a  degree  of  ex- 
cellence in  his  profession,  be  was  entertained  for  some 
time  in  the  family  of  the  lord-chancellor  Jetferies,  "  who,V 
atys  sir  tabu  Reresby,  "  at  an  entertainment  of  the  lord- 
mayor  and  court  of  aldermen,  in  the  year  1635,  called  fur 
Mr.  Mountfoit  to  divert  the  company  (as  bis  lordship  was 
pleased  to  term  it)  t  be  being  an  excellent  miesi*;,  my  lord 
made  hit*  plead  before  him  in  a  feigned  cause,  in  wbieh  he 
aped  all  the  great  lawyers  of  the  age  in  their  tone  of  voice, 
and  in  their  action  and  gesture  of  body,  tp  the  wry  great 
ridicule  not  only  of  the  lawyers,  but  of  the  law  itself; 
which,  to  me  {says  the  historian)  did  uot  seem  altogether 
prudent  in  a  man  of  bis  lofty  station  in  *be  law :  diverting 
it  certainly  was ;  but  prudent  in  the  lond  high-chancellor 
I  shall  never  think  k."  After  the  fall  of  Jeflferiea,  our 
author  again  returned  to  the  stage,  in  which  profession  he 
continued  till  his  death,  in  1699.  Cibber,  in  bis  "  Apor 
fegy>"  «ays  that  fee  was  tall,  well  made,  fait,  and  of  aa 
agreeable  aapect ;  bis  voice  clear,  fall,  and  tteledtaua ;  a 
moat  affecting  lover  in  tragedy,  and  in  comedy  guve  the 
truest  life  to  the  real  character  of  a  fine  gentleman  In 
scenes  of  gaiety,  be  never  broke  into  that  respect  that  was 
due  to  the  presence  of  equal  or  superior  chsffacteas,  though 
inferior  actors  played  them,  nor  sought  to  acquire  any  ad- 
vantage over  ether  performers  by  finesse,  or  stage-tricks, 
bnt  only  by  surpassing  them  in  true  and  masterly  tenches 
of  nature.  He  might  perhaps  have  attained  a  higher  de- 
gree of  excellence  and  fame,  bad  be  not  been  untimely 
cut  off,  by  the  bands  of  an  asaaasin,  in  the  thirty-third 
year  of  his  age.  His  death  **  thus  related.  Uh4  Mobnjt, 
a  man  of  loose  morals,  and  of  a  turbulent  and  rancorous 
spirit,  bad,  from  a  kind  of  sympathy  of  dispuaition,  con- 
tracted the  closest  intimacy  with  one  captain  Hill,  a  still 
more  worthless  character,  who  had  long  entertained  a 
passion  for  that  celebrated  actress  Mm.  Baaoegirdfa.  This 
lady,  however,  had  rejected  him,  with  the  cootempttMUa 

i  Gen.  Diet— -Biog.   Brit.— Fujler'«  Worthies  aod  Church  Htatpry.— Hai- 
weod'a  Alumni  Etoneosea. 


MOUNTFORt  4$b 

disdain  which  his  character  justly  deterred ;  and  this  treat- 
ment, Hill's  vanity  would  not  suffer  him  to  attribute  so* 
airy  other  etuite  tlwtn  a  pre-engagenwn*  in  favou*  etf  some 
other  love*.  Mountfort*s  agreeable  person,  bis  frequently 
performing  the  counter-part*  in*  love  scenes  with  Mr*. 
Bracegfrdie,  and  the  respect  which  be  used  always  to*  pay* 
her,  induced  captain  Hill  to  fix  on  him)  though  *  married 
maty  as  the  supposed  bar  to  bis  own .  success.  Grown 
desperate  then  <rf  succeeding  by  fair  a^eam,  he  deter* 
mined  to  attenspt  force :  aard*  communicating  his  design 
to  lord  Mohttn,  whose  attachment  to  him  was  so  great  as 
te*  reader  him  the  accomplice  in  all  his  schemes,  and  the 
promoter  evert  of  bis  moat  criminal  pleasures,  they  deter-, 
mined  oto  a  plan  for  carrying  her  away  from  the  play-house ; 
but,  not  finding  her  there,  they  got  intelligence  where 
she  was  to  *upy  and,  having  hired  a  number  of  soldiers  and 
a  coach  for  the  purpose*  waited  near  the  door  for  her 
cdtauigeut;  and,  on  her  so  doing,  the  ruffians  actually 
seized  her,  and  were  going  to  farce  her  iate  tbe  coach  j 
but  her  mother,  and  tbe  gentleman  whose  house  she  came 
out  of*  interposing  ttH  farther  assistance  could  dome  up, 
she  was  rescued  from  them,  and  safely  escorted  to  her  own 
house.  Lord  Mohan  and  captain  Hit),  however,  enraged 
at  their  disappointment  in  this  attempt,  immediately  re* 
solved  on  one  of  another  bindy  and,  with  violent  impreca* 
tionsv  openly  vowed  revenge  on  Mr.  Mouiitfort.  Mrs. 
Bracegirdfce's  mother,  and  a  gentleman,  who  were  ear- 
wkflrease*  te  their  threats,  immediately  sent  to  inform  Mrs. 
Motrttfiortof  her  baabawd's  danger,  with  their  opinion  that 
sbe  should  warn  him  of  it,  and  advise  him  not  to  come 
boMe  that  night ;  but,  unfortunately,  no  messenger  Mrs. 
Mountfort  sent  woe  able  to  find  him.  In  the  mean  time, 
has  lordship  and  tbe  captain  paraded  tbe  streets  with  their 
swords  drawn,  till  abeut  midnight,  when  Mr.  Mountfort, 
on  his  return  home,*  was  met  and  saluted  in  a  friendly 
manner  by  lord  Mobun;  but,  while  that  scandal  to  the 
rank  and  title  whidh  he  bore  was-  treacherously  holding 
Mm  in  a  conversation,  the  assassin  Hill,  being  at  his  back, 
first  gave  him  a  desperate  blow  on  the  head  with  hi*  left 
hand,  and  immediately  afterwards,  before  Mr  Mount  fort 
had  time  to  draw  and  stand  on  his  defence,  he,  with  the 
sword  be  held  ready  in  his  right,  ran  him  through  the  body. 
This  last  circumstance  Mr.  Mountfort  declared,  as  a  dying 
man,  to  Mr.  Bancroft,  the  surgeon  who  attended  him. 
Hill  immediately  made  bis  escape;  but  lord  Mohun  was 


486  M  O  U  N  T  F  O  R  T. 

seized,  and  stood  his  trial :  but  as  it  did  not  appear  that 
be  immediately  assisted  Hill  in  the  perpetrating .  this 
assassination,  and  that,  although  lord  Mohun  had  joined 
with  the  captain  in  his  threats  of  revenge,  yet  .the  actual 
mention  of  murder  could  not  be  proved,  his  lordship  was 
acquitted  by  his  peers.  He  afterwards,  however,  himself 
lost  his  life  in  a  duel  with  duke  Hamilton,  in  which  it  has 
been  hinted  that  some  of  the  same  kind  of  treachery, 
which  he  had  been  an  abettor  of  in  the  above-mentioned 
affair,  was  put  in  practice  against  himself.  Mr.  Mount- 
fort's  death  happened  in  Norfolk-street  in  the  Strand,  in 
the  winter  of  1692.  His  body  was  interred  in  the  church- 
yard of  St.  Clement  Danes.  He  left  behind  him  six  dra- 
matic pieces,  which  are  enumerated  in  the  "  Biographia 
Dramatica." l 

MOUNTENEY,  or  MOUNTNEY  (Richard),  an  Eng- 
lish lawyer,  and  classical  editor,  the  son  of  Richard 
Mounteney  of  Putney  in  Surrey,  was  born  there  in  1707, 
and  educated  at  Eton  school,  whence  he  went,  in  1725, 
to  King's  college,  Cambridge,  and  took  his  degrees  of 
A.  B.  in  1729,  and  A.  M.  1735,  and  obtained  a  fellowship. 
He  then  studied  law  in  the  Inner  Temple,  and  became,  in 
1737,  one  of  the  barons  of  the  exchequer  in  Ireland.  In 
1743  he  distinguished  himself  in  the  famous  trial  between 
James  Annesley,  esq.  and  Richard  earl  of  Anglesey.  In 
1759  he  married  the  countess  dowager  of  Mount  Alexan- 
der, and  died  in.  1768.  To  these  scanty  memoirs,  we 
have  only  to  add  that,  in  1731,  he  published  the  first  edi- 
tion of  his  "  Select  Orations"  of  Demosthenes,  which  has 
been  often  reprinted,  but  seldom  with  accuracy.  The  best 
part  of  the  work  is  the  critical  observations  upon  the  Ul- 
pian  commentary  by  Dr.  Chapman,  fellow  of  King's  college, 
Cambridge ;  and  perhaps  the  most  curious  is  his  dedication 
to  the  deceased  sir  Robert  Walpole,  in  the  edition  of 
1743.  It  was  to  the  Walpoles  he  owed  his  promotions. 
In  1748  he  also  published  "Observations  on  the  probable 
issue  of  the  Congress,"  8vo,  printed  by  Mr.  Bowyer. 
Mounteney's  Demosthenes  was  long  a  favourite  book  with 
the  university  students  to  give  up,  as  it  is  called,  on  their 
examinations,  but  at  Oxford  it  has  of  late  been  rejected 
by  the  examiners,  as  an  insufficient  proof  of  classical  pro- 
ficiency. f 

*  Biog.-Dram— Cibber's  Lives. 

*  ftiarwoud'i  Alumni  Eionenses. — Nichols's  Bowyer.—  Lysons's  Envir.  v. J.  IV. 


MOUSGUGS.  487 

MOURGUES  (Michael),  a  French  mathematician, 
born  in  the  province  of  Auvergne  about  1643,  became  & 
professor  of  rhetoric  and  mathematics  in  different  semina- 
ries belonging  to  the  Jesuits,  and  was  at  length  appointed 
professor- royal  at  the  university  of  Toulouse.  He  died,  in 
1713,  a  sacrifice  to  his  exertions  in  the  cause  of  humanity, 
during  the  dreadful  pestilential  disorder  which  then  raged 
at  Toulouse.  To  very  profound  as  well  as  extensive  eru- 
dition, he  united  the  most  polished  and  amiable  manners, 
and  the  most  ardent  piety,  which  made  him  zealous  in  his 
attempts  to  reform  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  He  was  a 
considerable  writer :  his  most  celebrated  pieces  are,  "  New 
Elements  of  Geometry,  comprised  in  less  than  fifty  Propo- 
sitions;'9 "A  Parallel  between  Christian  Morality  and  that 
of  the  Ancient  Philosophers;"  "An  Explanation  of  the 
Theology  of  the  Pythagoreans,  and  of  the  other  learned 
Sects  in  Greece,  for  the  Purpose  of  illustrating  the  Writ- 
ings of  the  Christian  Fathers ;"  and  "  A  Treatise  on 
French  Poetry." ! 

MOOSTIER,  or  MOUTIER.     See  DESMOUSTIER. 

MOYLE  (Walter,  esq.),  an  ingenious  and  learned 
English  writer,  was  son  of  sir  Walter  Moyle,'  and  born  in 
Cornwall  in  1672.  After  he  had  made  a  considerable  pro- 
gress in  school-learning,  be  was  sent  to  Oxford*;  and 
thence  removed  to  the  Temple,  where  he  applied  himself 
chiefly  to  such  parts  of  the  law  as  led  to  the  knowledge  of 
our  constitution  and  government ;  "  for  there  was  a  drud- 
gery," says  Mr.  Hammond,  "  in  what  he  called  law-lucra- 
tive, which  he  could  never  submit  to.9'  He  came  into  the 
world  with  a  firm  zeal  for  the  protestant  settlement,  and  a 
great  contempt  of  those  who  imagined  that  the  liberty  of 
our  constitution  and  the  reformation  could  subsist  under  a 
popish  king;  nor  did  he  ever  vary  from  these  sentiments. 
From  the  Temple  he  removed  to  Covent-  Garden,  in  order 
to  be  nearer  the  polite  and  entertaining  part  of  the  town  ; 
and  here  it  was,  as  Dryden  observes  in  his  "  Life  of  Lu- 
cian,"  that  "  the  learning  and  judgment  above  bis  age, 
which  every  one  discovered  in  Mr.  Moyle,  were  proofs  of 
those  abilities  be  has  shewn  in  his  country's  service,  when 
he  was  chosen  to  serve  it  in  the  senate,  as  his  father  sir 
Walter  had  done." 

In  1697   he  joined   with  Mr.  Trenchard  in  writing  a 

.  *  Moreri.— Diet  Hist 


4t«  M,OY.LE,i 

pamphlet  entitled  "  An  Argun»?ai,  shewing  tkgt  a  End- 
ing Army  is  inconsistent  with  a  free  Goyeruq&eu*,  and 
absolutely  destructive  to  the  constitution  of  tbq  English 
Monarchy/9  The  same  year,  at  tbe  request,  of  Dr.  Dar 
venant,  he  translated  Xenophon' s  "  Discourse  upon  ion 
proving  the  Revenue  of  the  State  of  Athens/9  and  sent  it 
to  him,  to  be  annexed  to  bis  "  Discourses  on  the  public 
Revenues  and  Trade  of  England.99  Moyle  tells  Davenartt, 
in  the  dedication  of  this  translation,  chat  he  "  fencies  it 
will  be  no  unwelcome  entertainment  to  him,  to  find  his 
own  admirable  observations  upon  these  matters  confirmed 
by  the  authority  of  one  of  the  greatest  men  that  eve*  anti- 
quity produced,  and  the  only  ancient  author  upon  thia 
subject  which  is  how  extant.  This  admirable  maxim,  that 
the  true  wealth  and  greatness  of  a  nation  consists  in  ivunv* 
bers  of  people  well-employed,  is  every  where  inculcated 
throughout  the  whole  course  of  this  treatise.  "And  I  believe," 
\ie  adds,  "  Xenophon  was  the  first  author  that  ever  argued 
by  political  arithmetic,  or  the  art  of  reasoning  open  things 
by  figures;  which  has  been  iijrproved  by  some  able  heads 
of  our  own  nation,  and  carried  to.  the*  highest  perfection 
by  your  own  successful  inquiries.99  As  to  the  translation, 
Davenant  has  given  the  following  account  of  it  in  the 
thirty-fourth  page  of  his  work  :  "  It  was  made  English  by 
a  young  gentleman,  whose  learning  and  ripe  parts  promise 
greater  matters  hereafter  ;  since,  jn  his  first  essay,,  he  has 
shewn  himself  so  great  a  master,  both  in  his  own  and  the 
Greek  language.  And  it  is  hoped  this  example  will  ex* 
cite  other  persons  of  his  age,  rank,  and  fortune,  ta  study 
tjie  business  of  trade,  and  the  revenues  of  their  country* 
The  original  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  the  learned  world ; 
and  the  reader  will  find  Xenophon  has  suffered  nothing  in 
this  version.99 

He  was  for  some  time  a  member  of  parliament  for  the  bo* 
jrough  of  Saltasb,  where  he  always  acted  a  very  honourable 
and  disinterested  part ;  but  he  was  so  bent  upon  his  private 
studies,  that  he  never  had  any  relish  for  that  station.  His* 
favourite  study  was  history ;  from  which  he  collected  and 
loved  to  speculate  upon  the  forms,  constitutions,  and  laws, 
of  governments.  In  parliacaent  be  appeased,  however, 
most  to  advantage  in  questions  respecting  the  improvement 
fnd  regulation  of  trader  fefeigj*  and  domestic ;,  the  em- 
ployment of  the  poor,  which  has  so  near  a  connection  with 
the  augmenting  of  our  domestic  trade1 :  and  he  took  great 


HOY  LE,  **9 

pains  in  promoting  a  bill  lor  the  encouraging  of  seamen* 
and  the  effectual  ai>d  speedy  manning  of  the  royal  Davy* 

He  afterwards  retired  to  bis  seat  at  Bake  in  Cornwall, 
where,  it  is  said,  he  read  all  the  original  authors,  both 
Greek  and  Latin,  that  is,  those  who  wrote  before  the  birth 
of  Christy  and  about  440  years  after.  From  the  year  44Q 
to  1440  was  a  long,  but  dark  period  of  time;  and  he  aimed 
only  to  preserve  a  thread  of  the  history  of  that  middle  age* 
"The  schoolmen  and  scholastic  divinity  which  flourished 
then,  be  neglected ;  but  it  appears,  that,  in  the  latter  pari 
of  bis  life,  he  extended  his  researches  to  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory. It  was  his  custom  frequently  to  make. a  review  of 
the  best  systems  in  all  sciences,  being  used  to  say,  that 
"  it  was  necessary  for  every  man  who  applies  himself  to 
matters  of  learning,  to  have  a  general  knowledge  of  the 
elements  of  them ;"  and  hence  he  was  incessantly  collects 
ing  fundamental  maxims,  and  forming  divisions  in  all  parts 
of  learning.  Early  in  rife  be  contrived  a  scheme  of  sci 
disposing  books  in  his  library,  that  they  might  give  him, 
even  by  their  disposition,  a  regular  and  useful  view  of  all 
the  several  walks  of  learning  and  knowledge.  In  order  to 
this,  a  distribution  was  made  of  them  into  four  grand  dU 
visions ;  the  first  containing  theology,  the  second  laJw,  the 
third  arts  and  sciences*  add  the  fourth  history.  He  pene- 
trated deep  into  all  the  authors  he  read ;  add  he  was  very 
nice  in  the  choice  of  them.  An  exactness  of  reasoning  was 
his  peculiar  talent,  to  which  was  joined  an  uncotrnttoa 
vivacity  of  expression;  He  used  often  to  regret  the  noH 
having  the  advantage  of  travelling  abroad ;  but,  to  make 
amends  for  this,  he  read  the  best  accounts  he  could  get  or! 
all  the  parts  of  the  world,  and  made  his  reflections  upon 
them. 

Mr.  Moyle  died  June  9,  1721,  afged  forty-nine.  In 
1726  bis  unpublished  Works  were  printed  in  2  vok.  8vo, 
and  dedicated  to  his  brother  Joseph  Moyle,  esq.  by  Tho- 
mas Serjeant,  esq.  The  first  volume  contains,  I.  "An 
Essay  upon  the  Constitution  of  the  Roman  Government, 
in  two  parts."  2.  "  A  Charge  to  the  Grand  Jury  at  Lea* 
kard,  April  1706."  £.  "  Letters  to  Dr.  William  Mosgrave, 
of  Exeter,  upon  subjects  of  Criticism  and  Antiquity.**  4. 
"  A  Dissertation  upon  the  Age  of  Philopatri*,  a  dialogue, 
commonly  attributed  to  Ldciaa,  in  several  letters  to  Mr* 
K."  5.  "  Letters  from  and  to  Mr.  Moyle  upon  various 
subjects.'9    The  second  volume  contains,    1.  "  Remarks 


490  M  O  Y  L  E. 

upon  Prideaux's  Connection  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment, &c.  in  several  letters  between  the  doctor  and  him- 
self." In  Prideaux's  third  letter  to'his  cousin  Moyle,  for 
so  he  addresses  him,  he  tells  him  that  "  he  is  sure  his  book 
will  no  where  find  a  more  observing  and  judicious  reader 
than  himself;  that  he  had  sufficient  experience  of  this  in 
bis  learned  remarks  on  the  former  part ;  and  that  they  had 
instructed  him  for  the  making  of  some  alterations  against 
another  edition  :"  and,  in  a  fourth  letter,  he  "  thanks  him 
heartily  for  the  observations  he  had  sent  him  of  his  mis- 
takes, in  the  last  part  of  his  history.  I  must  confess,9'  says 
be,  "  That  about  Octavius's  posterity  is  a  very  great  one. 
It  is  a  downright  blunder  of  my  old  head,  and  I  am  glad  so 
accurate  and  learned  a  reader  has  not  observed  more  of 
them.  This  makes  me  hope  that  no  more  such  have 
escaped  me."  This  volume  also  contains,  2.  "The  Miracle 
of  the  Thundering  Legion  examined,  in  several  letters 
between  Mr.  Moyle  and  Mr.  K."  On  this  subject  Mr. 
Moyle  was  completely  sceptical. 

In  1727  was  published  by  his  friend  Antony  Hammond, 
esq.  a  third  volume,  in  8vo,  entitled  "  The  whole  Works 
ef  Walter  Moyle,  esq.  that  were  published  by  himself." 
The  editor  complains  that,  "when  his  posthumous  works 
came  from  the  press,  these  valuable  tracts  of  his,  which  were 
printed  in  his  life-time,  and  passed  his  last  hand,  should 
be  dropt,  as  it  were,  in  oblivion,  as  they,  must  have  been, 
had  they  been  covered  in  those  volumes,  wherein  they  were 
by  himself  originally  interspersed ;  and  observes,  that  the 
principal  intention  of  collecting  them  was  to  do  justice  to 
the  memory  of  Mr.  Moyle."  We  have  already  mentioned 
two  of  the  pieces  which  compose  this  volume ;  the  rest  are, 
"  An  Essay  on  the  Lacedemonian  Government,  addressed 
to  Antony  Hammond,  e3q.  in  1698."  "  Translations  from 
Luciap,"  first  printed  in  17*0.  "Letters  between  Mr. 
Moyle  and  several  of  his  friends,"  first  printed  in  1695. 
There  is  also  a  translation  of  Lucian's  "  Philopatris,"  by 
Dr.  Drake,  which  is  here  inserted,  on  account  of  there 
being  so  much  criticism  concerning  it  in  the  first  volume 
of  Mr.  Moyle' s  posthumous  works  above  mentioned.  * 

MOYSES  (David),  a  political  character,  was  born  at 
Lanerk,  in  Scotland,  1573,  and,  while  very  young,  be- 
came one  of  the  pages  to  king  James,  and  afterwards,  one 

1  Life  prefixed  to  his  Worki. — Biog.  Brit. 


M  O  Y  8  E  8.  401 

of  the  gentlemen  of  bis  privy  chamber.  In  that  station  he 
continued  many  years,  and  became  well  acquainted  with 
most  of  the  secrets  at  court.  He  was  present  with  king 
James  at  Penh,  1600,  when  the  famous  conspiracy  of  the 
earl  of  Go  wry.  took  place;  but  the  account  he  has  given 
us  of  that  problematical  affair  contains  nothing  either  in* 
teresting  or  satisfactory.  He  accompanied  king  James  into 
England,  where  he  remained  some  years ;  but  afterwards 
returned  to  Scotland,  and  spent  his  dayfe  in  retirement.  He 
kept  a  diary  of  what  passed  at  court,  the  MS.  of  which  is 
now  in  the  advocates9  library  in  Edinburgh ;  and  an  edi- 
tion of  it  was  printed  in  1753,  under  the  title  of  "  Memoirs 
of  the  affairs  of  Scotland  rrom  1577  to  1603,  with  a  dis- 
course on  the  conspiracy  of  Gowrie,"  Edin.  l2mo.  It 
contains  many  curious  particulars,  which  have  not  been 
taken  notice  of  by  general  historians.  He  died  at  Edin- 
burgh, 1630,  aged  fifty-seven.8 

MOZART  (John  Chrysostom  Wolfgang  Theophi- 
LUs),  an  eminent  musician,  was  the  son  of  Leopold  Mo- 
zart, vice-chapel-master  to  the  prince  archbishop  of  Salz- 
burg. This  Leopold,  who  was  born  at  Augsburg  in  1719, 
became  early  in  life  a  musician  and  composer;  and  in  1757 
published  a  treatise  on  the  art  of  playing  the  violin ;  but 
what,  according  to  Dr.  Burney,  did  him  most  honour  was 
bis  being  father  of  such  an  incomparable  son  as  Wolfgang, 
and  educating  him  with  such  care.  His  son  was  born  at 
Salzburg,  Jan.  17,  1756,  and  at  seven  years  old  went  with 
his  father  and,  sister  to  Paris,  and  the  year  following  to 
London.  In  1769  he  went  to  Italy;  and  in  1770  be  was 
at  Bologna,  in  which  city  Dr.  Burney  first  saw  him,  and 
to  which  city  he  had  returned  from  Rome  and  Naples, 
where  be  had  astonished  all  the  great  professors  by  his 
premature  knowledge  and  talents.  At  Rome  he  was  ho- 
noured by  the  pope  with  the  order  of  Speron  d'Oro.  From 
Bologna  he  went  to  Milan,  where  he  was  engaged  to  com- 
pose an  opera  for  the  marriage  of  the  princess  of  Modena 
with  one  of  the  archdukes.  Two  other  Composers  were 
employed  on  this  occasion,  each,  of  them  to  set  an  opera; 
but  that  of  the  little  Mozart,  young  as  he  was,  was  most 
applauded. 

During  his  residence  in  London,  which  was  when  he  was 
but  eight  years  old,  he  evinced  his  extraordinary  talents 
and  profound  knowledge  in  every  brancb  of  music,  waa 

,  *  Preceding  edition  of  this  Diet,— Month.  Review,  vol.  XIII. 


4*2  M  O  Z  A  ft  T. 

able  tb  play  lit  sight  in  all  key*,  to  perform  extempore,  tie 
modulate,  and  play  fugues  on*  subjects  given  in  a  Way  that 
there  were  very  few  masters  then  in-  London  able  to  do. 
But  there  is  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  LX. 
(for  1770)  a  minute  and  curious  account,  by  the  Hob. 
Daines  Barrington,  of  the  musical  feats  of  this  child  m 
London,  during  1765,  when  be  was  no  more  than  eigbe 
years  and  five  momhs  old,  to  which  we  refer  our  readers: 
His  progress  in  talents  and  fame,  contrary  to  all  experi- 
ence, continued  to  keep  pace  with  the  expectations  of  tb$ 
public  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

He  went  again  to  Paris  soon  after  his  return  from  Italy, 
But  on  the  death  of  his  father  in  1778,  he  was  called  co 
Salzburg,  and  appointed  principal  concert-master  to  the 
prince  archbishop,  in  his  stead;  but  he  resigned  this  office 
in  1780,  and  went  to  Vienna,  where  he  settled,  and  was 
admired  and  patronized  by  the  court  and  city;  and  in 
1788  he  was  appointed  chapel-master  to  the  emperor 
Joseph.  His  first  opera  at  Vienna  was  the  "Rape  of  the 
Seraglio,"  in  1782,  to  German  words.  The  second,  "  L* 
Noszze  di  Figaro,"  in  four  acts.  The  third^  the  "Schauta- 
piel  Director,"  or  the  Manager  at  the  Playhouse,  in  173*. 
"II  Don  Giovanni,"  in  1787.  "La  Clemenza  di  Tito,* 
a  serious  opera*  "  Cori  Fantatei,"  comic.  "Flauto  Ma- 
gtco."  "  IdomeaeOy"  a  serious  opera,  &c.  It  was  not  till 
1782  that  he  began  to  compose  at  Vienna  for  the  national 
theatre;  at  first  chiefly  instrumental  music;  but  on  its 
being  discovered  haw  well  he  could  write  for  the  voice*  he 
was  engaged  by  the  nobility  and  gentry  firfet  to  compose 
domic  operas,  sometimes  to  German  words,  and  sometimes 
to  Italian.  His  serious  Operas,,  we  believe,  were  all  ori- 
ginally composed  to  Italian  words.  There  is  a  chronolo- 
gical list  of  his  latter  vocal  compositions  till  the  year  17*0 
in  Gerber's  Musical  Lexicon. 

.  In  England  we  know  nothing  of  bis  studies  or  produc- 
tions, but  from  bis  harpsichord  lessons,  which  frequently 
came  over  from  Vienna ;  and  in  these  be  seems  to  have 
been  trying  experiments.  They  were  full  of  new  passages, 
and  new  effects;  but  were  wild,  capricious,  and  not  always 
pleasing.  We  were  wholly  unacquainted  with  his  vocal 
music  till  after  bis  decease,  though  it  is  manifest  that  by. 
composing  for  the  voice  he  first  refined  his  taste,  awd  gave 
way  to  laws,  feelings,,  as  in  his  latter  tootpositfOHSfor  die 
piano  forte  and  other  instruments  his  melody  is  exquisite. 


MOZART.  49* 

end  cherished  and  enforced  by  the  most  judicious  accom- 
paniments, equally  free  from  pedantry  and  caprice. 

Dr.  Barney  observes,  that  the  operas  of  this  truly  great 
musician  are  much  injured  by  being  printed  in  half  scores, 
with  so  busy  and  constantly  loaded  a  part  for  the  piano 
forte.  Some  of  the  passages  we  suppose  taken  from  the 
instrumental  parts  in  the  full  score ;  but  there  is  no  con- 
trast; the  piano  forte  has  a  perpetual  lesson  to  play,  some- 
times difficult,  and  sometimes  vulgar  and  common,  which, 
however  soft  it  may  be  performed,  disguises  the  vocal 
melody,  and  diverts  the  attention  from  it,  for  what  is  not 
worth  hearing.  A  commentary,,  says  the  same  author,  on 
the  works  of  this  gifted  musician,  would  fill  a  volume.  Hit 
reputation  continued  to  spread  and  increase  all  over  Eu- 
rope to  the  end  of  his  life,  which,  unfortunately  for  the 
musical  world,  was  allowed  to  extend  only  to  36  years,  at 
which  period  he  died,  in  1791. 

After  his  decease,  when  Haydn  was  asked  \>y  Broderip, 
in  his  music-shop,  whether  Mozart  had  left  any  MS  com- 
positions behind  him  that  were  worth  purchasing,  as  his 
widow  had  offered  his  unedited  papers  at  a  high  price  to 
the  principal  publishers  of  music  throughout  Europe ; 
Haydn  eagerly  said,  "  purchase  then?  by  all  means.  He 
was- truly  a  great  musician.  I  have  been  often  flattered  by 
'  my  friends  with  having  some  genius ;  but  he  was  much  my 
superior.'9  Though  this  declaration  had  more  of  modesty 
than  truth  in  it,  yet  if  Mozart's  genius  had  been  granted 
as  many  years  to  expand  as  that  of  Haydn,  the  assertion 
might  perhaps  hare  been  realised  in  many  particulars.1 

MUDGE  (Thomas),  an  eminent  mechanist,  was  born 
at  Exeter,  September  1715.  He  was  the  second  son  of 
the  rev.  Zachariah  Madge,  prebendary  of  Exeter,  and 
vicar  of  St  Andrew's,  Plymouth,  who  died  April  3,  if  69, 
and  was  honoured  by  Dr.  Johnson  with  a  very  elegant 
testimony  of  respect,  which  was  inserted  in  the  London 
Chronicle  at  that  time,  and  may  be  seen  in  Mr.  Boswell's 
Life  of  the  doctor.  Mr.  Z.  Mudge  had  three  other  sons 
besides  the  subject  of  this  article.  The  eldest,  Zachariah, 
was  a  surgeon  and  apothecary  at  Taunton,  and  afterwards 
surgeon  on  board  an  East  Indiaman  ;  he  died  in  1753  on 
ship-board,  in  the  river  Canton  in  China.  The  third,  the 
rev.  Richard  Mudge,  was  officiating  minister  of  a  chapel 

*  By  Dr.  Burney  in  Reel's  Cyclopaedia — Encgrctajjwdia ,  Jfe  frnaicft,  Suftpk 
by  Dr.  Gleif. 


s 


494  M  U  D  G  E. 

of  ease  at  Birmingham,  and  had  a  small  living  presente4 
to  him  by  the  earl  of  Aylesford.  He  was  not  only  greatly 
distinguished  by  his  learning,  but  by  his  genius  for  music. 
He  excelled  as  a  composer  for  the  harpsichord ;  and  as  a 
performer  on  that  instrument  is  said  to  have  been  highly 
complimented  by  Handel  himself.  The  fourth  son,  John, 
was  originally  a  surgeon  and  apothecary  at  Plymouth,  but 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  practised  as  a  physician 
with  great  success.  Like  his  brother  Thomas,  he  had  great 
mechanical  talents;  and,  until  prevented  by  the  enlarge* 
ment  of  his  practice,  he  found  time  to  prosecute  improve? 
ments  in  rectifying  telescopes.  In  1777  the  Royal  Society 
adjudged  to  him  Sir  Godfrey  Copley's  gold  medal,  for  a 
paper  which  he  presented  to  that  learned  body  on  the  best 
methods  of  grinding  the  specula  of  reflecting  telescopes. 
He  also  considerably  improved  the  inhaler,  an  ingenious 
contrivance  for  the  curing  of  coughs,,  by  inhaling  steam. 
In  1777  he  published  "A  Dissertation  on  the  inoculated 
Small-pox ;"  which  was  followed,  some  years  after,  by 
"A  Treatise  on  the  Catarrhous  Cough  and  Vis  Vitre."  He 
died  in  1792..  It  was  to  this  gentleman,  Mr.  Boswell  in* 
forms  us,  that  Dr.  Johnson,  during  hu  last  illness,  ad- 
dressed many  letters  on  his  case. 

.  Soon  after  the  birth  of  Thomas,  his  father  was  appointed 
master  of  the  free  grammar-school  at  Biddeford,  in  the 
north  of  Devonshire,  whither  he  removed  with  his  family} 
and  here,  under  his  own  immediate  care,  bis  sop  Thomas 
received  his  education.  At  a  very  early  pejriod  of  life  be 
gave  strong  indications  of  that  mechanical  genius  by  which 
he  has  since  been  so  eminently  distinguished ;  for,  while 
he  was  yet  a  school-boy,  he  could  with  ease  take  to  pieces 
a  watch,  and  put  it  together  again,  without  any  previous 
instruction.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  was  bound  appren- 
tice to  Mr.  George  Graham,  watch-maker,  a  distinguished 
philosopher,  and  the  most  celebrated  mechanic  of  his.  time* 
He  soon  attracted  the  particular  attention  of  his  master, 
who  so  highly  estimated  bis  mechanical  powers,  that,  upon 
all  occasions,  he  assigned  to  him  the  nicest  and  most  diffi- 
cult work;  and  once,  in  particular,  having  been  applied 
to  by  oqe  of  his  friends  to  construct  a  .machine  new  in  its 
mechanical  operation,  his  friend,  some  time  after  it  had 
been  sent  home,  complaiued  that*  it  did  not  perform  its 
office.  Mr.  Graham  answered,  that  he  was  very  certain  the 
complaint  could  not  be  well  founded,   the  work  having 


MDD6E.  49* 

been  executed  "  by  his  apprentice,  Thomas ;"  and,  in* 
deed,  it  appeared,  upon  examination,  that  Mr.  Graham 
was.  fully  justified  in  this  implicit  confidence  in  his  ap- 
prentice, the  work  having  been  executed  in  a  very  mas-' 
terly  manner,  and  the  supposed  defect  arising  entirely  from 
the  unskilful  management  of  the  owner. 

On  the  expiration  of  his  apprenticeship,  Mr.  Mudge 
took  lodgings,  and  continued  to  work  privately  for  some 
years.  About  1757  he  married  Miss  Hopkins,  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  gentleman  at  Oxford.  The  circumstance  which 
first  rescued  him,  as  it  were,  from  obscurity,  is  very  re- 
markable :  Mr.  Ellicot,  who  was  one.  of  the  most  distin  - 
guished  watch-makers  of  his  time,  and  who  bad  been  often 
employed  by  Ferdinand  VI.  king  of  Spain,  was  desired  by 
that  prince  to  make  him  an  equation  watch.  Mr.  Ellicot, 
not  being  able  to  accomplish  the  undertaking,  applied  to 
Mr.  Shovel,  an  ingenious  workman,  to  assist  him ;  but  he 
also  being  unequal  to  the  task,  mentioned  it  to  Mr.  Mudge, 
with  whom  he  was  very  intimate,  and  who  readily  under- 
took to  make  such  a  watch.  He  not  only  succeeded  to  bis 
own  satisfaction,  but  to  the  admiration  of  all  who  had  the 
opportunity  of  inspecting  it.  This  watch  having  been  made 
for  Mr.  Ellicot,  his, name  was  affixed  to  it  (as  is  always 
customary  in  such  cases),  and  he  assumed  the  whole  merit 
of  its  construction.  An  unfortunate  accident,  however, 
did  justice  to  the  real  inventor :  Mr.  Ellicot  being  engaged, 
one  day,  in  explaining  his  watch  to  some  men  of  science, 
it  happened  to  receive  an  injury,  by  which  its  action  was 
entirely  destroyed ;  and  he  had  also  the  mortification  to  find, 
upon  inspecting  the. watch,  that  he  himself  could  not  re* 
pair  the  mischief.  This  compelled  him  to  acknowledge 
that  Mr.  Mudge  was  the  real  inventor  of  the  watch,  and 
that  to  him  it  must  be  sent  to  be  repaired. 

This  transaction  having  by  $otne  means  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  his  Catholic  majesty,  who  was  passionately 
fond  of  all  mechanical  productions,  and  particularly  of 
watches,  that  monarch  immediately  employed  his  agents 
in  England  to  engage  Mr.  Mudge  to  work  for  him  ;  and 
such  was  his  approbation  of  his  new  artist's  performances, 
that  he  honoured  hiui  with  au  unlimited  commission  to' 
make  for  him  at  his  own  price,  whatever  he  might  judge 
most  worthy  of  attention.  Accordingly,  among  the  .several 
productions  of  Mr.  Mudge's  genius  which  thus  became  the 
property  of  the  king  of  Spain,  was  an  equation  watch; 


49*  MODOE. 

which  not  only  shewed  the  sanfa  time,  and  mean  time,  hot 
was  also  a  striking  watch  and  a  repeater;  and  what  was 
very  singular,  and  had  hitherto  been  unattempted,  it  struck 
and  repeated  by  solar,  or  apparent  time.  As  a  repeater, 
moreover,  it  struck  the  hours,  quarters,  and  minutes. 
From  a  whim  of  the  king's  this  watch  was  made  in  the 
crutch -end  of  a  cane,  in  the  sides  of  which  were  glasses 
covered  with  sliders,  on  the  removal  of  which  the  work 
might  be  seen  at  any  time ;  and  his  majesty  being  very 
fond  of  observing  the  motion  of  the  wheels  at  the  time  the 
watch  struck,  it  was  his  practice  as  he  wafted,  to  stop  for 
that  purpose.  Those  who  have  seen  him  on  these  occa- 
sions, observed  that  he  ever  showed  signs  of  the  most  lively 
SAtis&ctaon.  The  price  of  this  watch  was  460  guineas, 
which,  from  the  expensive  material  and  nature  of  the 
work,  afforded  Mr.  Mudge  but  a  moderate  profit  for  his 
ingenuity ;  and  he  was  strongty  urged  by  several  of  his 
friends  to  charge  600  guineas  for  it,  which  the  king  would 
have  readily  paid.  To  this  Mr.  Mudge  answered,  that, 
"  as  4S0  guineas  gave  him  the  profit  to  which  he  was  fairly 
entitled,  as  an  honest  man,  he  could  not  think  of  increas- 
ing it,  and  he  saw  no  reason  why  a  king  should  be  charged 
more  than  a  private  gentleman."  Indeed  the  king  of  Spain 
had  such  a  high  opinion  of  his  integrity,  that  he  not  only 
used  to  speak  of  him  as  by  far  the  most  ingenious  watch - 
nufcker  he  had  ever  employed,  but  excelling  also  m  his 
sense  of  honour  and  justice.  Mr.  Townsend,  then  secre- 
tary to  the  embassy  at  Madrid,  once  told  Mr.  Mudge  that 
his  Catholic  majesty  bad  often  expressed  to  him  his  great 
admiration  of  his  character,  and  would  frequently  ask  his 
assistance  to  enable  him  to  express  the  name  of  Mudge. 

In  1750,  Mr.  Mudge  entered  into  partnership  with  Mr. 
William  Dutton,  who  bad  also  been  an  apprentice  of  Mr. 
Graham's,  and  took  a  house  in  Fleet-street,  opposite 
Water-lane.  In  1760,  an  event  happened  which  he  ever 
as  one  of  the  most  fortunate  in  his  life.  This 
bk  introduction  to  the  count  de  BruW,  who  first  came 
to  England  that  year,  as  envoy  extraordinary  from  the 
own*  of  Saxpny.  This  nobleman,  who  to  many  other 
valuable  qualities  united  great  knowledge  of  mechanical 
operations,  ever  after  treated  Mr.  Mudge  with  the  most 
gene  rou*  and  condescending  friendship;  evinciog  on  every 
occasion  the  most  ardent  zeal  for  his  fame  and  fortune,  by 
the  most  active  services. 


_i 


MUDG1  497 

About  this  period  Mr.  Mudge.  appears  to  have  first  turned 
his  thoughts  to  the  improvement  of  time-keepers;  for,  in, 
1765  he  published  a  small  tract  entitled  "Thoughts  oa 
the  Means  of  improving  Watches,  and  particularly  those, 
for  the  use  of  the  Sea."  In  177 1  he  quitted  business,  and- 
retired  to  Plymouth,  that  he  might  devote  his  whole  time 
and  attention  to  the  improvement  and  perfection  of  the 
important  subject  of  this  pamphlet.  Having  some  years 
afterwards  co  pa  pie  ted  one  time-keeper,  he  put  it  into  the* 
hands  of  Dr.  Hornsby,  Savilian  professpr  of  astronomy,  at 
Oxford.  After  this  gentleman  had  tried  it  fqr  four  mouths, 
during  which  time  it  went  with  great  accuracy,  it  was  com- 
mitted to  .the  care  of  Dr.  Maskelyne,  to  be  tried  at  Green-; 
wich.  After  it  had  been  under  his  care  a  considerable 
time,  the  Board  of  longitude,  by  way  of  encouraging  Mr, 
Mudge  to  make  another;,  so  as  properly  to.  become  a  can- 
didate for  the  rewards  promised  in  the  act  of  parliament, 
thought  proper  to  give  him  500/.  it  being  expressly  re-; 
quired  by  the  act,  that  two  time-keepers  should  be  made, 
upon  the  same  principles,  and  both  tried  at  the  same  time,, 
that  if  each  should  go  with  the  required  degree  of  exact- 
ness,, it  might  with  the  metre  certainty  appear  to  result 
from  the  perfection  of  the.  principles  upon  which  they  were 
constructed,  and  not  from  accident. 

The  first  time-keeper,  after  i,t  had  been  tried  by  Mr.' 
Maskelyne,  astronomer-royal*  was  in  .possession  of,  M.de; 
Zach  (astronomer  to  the.  duke  of  §axe  Gotha)  from  May, 
1786  to  July  17 88, during  which  time  he. carried  it  from  Lou- 
don to  Gotha,  thence  to,  Hieres,  thence  by  sea  to  Genoa, 
thence  by  land  to  Pisa,  Milan,  and.  back  to  Hieres.  At  the 
end  of  about  a  year's  absence  from  Gotha  (to  which  he  re-, 
turned  by  Geneva)  after  having  travelled  over  several  thou- 
sand miles,  he  found  that  it  had  preserved  the  same  regula- 
rity of  going  which  it  had,  when  it  first  came  into  bis  posses- 
sion ;  and  by  its  very  great  accuracy,  he  was  enabled  to. 
ascertain  the  longitude  of  several  places  with  a  greater  de- 
gree of  precision  than  had  ever  been  done  before.  ... 

In  1784  and  1785,  this  timekeeper  was  carried  two 
voyages  to  Newfoundland  by  the  late  admiral  CarqpbelJ* 
and  in  each  voyage  went  so  well  as  to  determine  the  longi* 
tudewithin  one  rnile  and  a  quarter  on  the  first  voyage,  and 
to  six  miles  and  au  eighth  on  the  second.  , Inconsequence 
of  this,  it  was  the  admiral's  opinion  that  such  timekeepers, 
were  capable  of  answering  every  nautical  purpose  that, 

Vol.  XXII.  Kk 


4VS  U  **  »  &  t, 

Gould  be  required  el  tbetf*.  After  Mr.  llf  odgt  had  ree&ved 
she  300/*  instead  of  making  only  one  mere  time-keeper, 
which  would  have  been  sufficient  to  answer  the  purposes 
of  the  act,  be  immediately  set  gboqt  making  two,  audi 
When  completed,  they  likewise,  pursuant  to  the  rict,  un-, 
derwent  a  trial  by  the  astronomer-royal. 

In  July  1790,  the  year'*  trial  required  by  the  act  ex- 
•  pired,  about  a  fortnight  previously  to  which  a  board  of  Ion* 
gitude  was  held,  when  £Xr.  Maskelyne's  report  of  the  going 
of  the  time-keepers  was  so  favourable,  that  it  was  declare* 
that  directions  should  be  given  at  the  next  board  to  apply 
to  the  admiralty  for  a  ship,  in*  which  they  might  be  sent  to 
sea,  in  further  compliance  with  the  act  At  the  meeting 
erf  the  next  board,  however,  Dr.  Maskelyne  produced  cer- 
tain calculations,  in  order  to  prove  that  neither  of  them 
bad  gone  within  any  of  the  limit*  of  the  act ;  and  therefore 
at  another  board  held  the  same  year,  k  was  determined 
that  no  further  trial  of  them  should  take  place.  Tb}s  oc- 
casioned an  unpleasant  controversy,  which  will  be  found 
diseussed  in  "  A  narrative  of  faets  relative  to  the  Time- 
keepers constructed  by  ]#r.  Thomas  Mudge,  by  Thomas 
Mudge,  jun.  of  Lincoln's-inn  :"  Dr.  Maskelyne's  "An- 
swer to  a  Narrative  of  Fact*,"  &c.  and  Mr.  Madge's  u  Re- 
ply," with  which  the  dispute  ended. 

In  July  1791,  Mr.  Thomas  Mudge,  jun.  presented  from 
his  father  a  memorial  to  the-  Board  of  longitude,  stating, 
that  although  his  time- keepers,  during  the  period  of  their 
public  trial,  had  not  been  adjudged  to  go  withio  the  limits 
prescribed  by  aet  of  parliament,  yet  as  the  honourable 
board  were  of  opinion  that  they  were  superior  to  any  that 
had  hitherto  been  invented,  and  were  constructed  uport 
such  principles  as  would  render  them  permanently  useful; 
as  the  memorialist,  moreover,  had  employed  near  twenty 
years  to  bring  them  to  the  perfection  they  possessed  -r  and 
as  the  first  time- keeper  made  by  him  had  been  going  up- 
wards of  sixteen  years,  with  such  an  uniform  degree  of 
excellence  as  evidently  to  prove  that  the  principles  upon 
which  his  time-keepers  were  constructed  were  permanent 
in  their  nature ;  therefore  the  memorialist  trusted  that  the 
honourable  board  would  exercise  the  powers  vested  in  them 
by  parliament,  and  give  to  him,  upon  his  making  a  disco- 
very of  the  principles  upon  which  his  time-keepers  were 
constructed,  such  a  sum  of  money  as  his  invention  and 
great  labours  should  appear  to  deserve.     This  memorial 


MUDGE,  499 

b£tng  unsuccessful,  Mr,  Mudge  in  1792  presented  a  peti- 
tion to  the  same  effect  to  the  House  of  Commons,  which,, 
owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  session,  could  not  then  be  con- 
sidered ;  but  in  the  next,  Mr.  Mudge' s  merit  appeared  so 
clearly  to  the  house,  that  they  were  pleased  to  vote  him,  in 
the  most  honourable  manner,  and  by  a  great  majority,  the 
sum  of  2500/.  which,  with  500/.  given  him  before  by  the 
board  of  longitude,  made  in  the  whole  3000/. 

He  did  not  long  survive  this  honourable  testimony  to  the 
utility  of  his  mechanical  labours.  He  died  on  the  14th  of 
November  1794,  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age,  at  the 
house  of  his  eldest  son,  Mr.  Thomas  Mudge,  in  Newing- 
ton-place,  Surrey.  On  the  death  of  his  wife,  in  1789,  he 
bad  given  up  house* keeping,  residing  afterward,  sometimes 
with  his  eldest  son  in  London,  and  sometimes  in  the  coun- 
try with  his  other  son,  the  rev.  John  Mudge,  M.  A.  recto* 
of  Lustleigh,  and  vicar  of  Bramford  Speke,  both  in  De- 
vonshire.— To  speak  of  Mr.  Mudge,  in  general  terms  only, 
as  the  first  watchmaker  of  his  age,  would  be  unjust.  Besides 
his  superior  merits  in  bringing  time-keepers  to  a  greater 
degree  of  perfection  than  had  been  hitherto  attained,  he 
has  done  the  mechanical  world  no  small  service  by  the  in- 
vention of  a  scapement  for  pocket-watches,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  considerable  improvements  that  have  been  intro- 
duced for  many  years. 

Two  anecdotes  deserve  to  be  recorded,  as  striking  proofs 
of  Mr.  Mudge's  great  mental  powers :  count  Bruhl,  when 
he  first  came  to  England  in  his  diplomatic  capacity,  brought 
an  ingenious  watch  from  Paris,  made  by  the  celebrated 
Bertoud,  intending  it  as  a  present  to  his  majesty.  This 
watch,  however,  not  performing  its  offices,  was  sent  back 
to  the  inventor,  in  order  to  be  rectified.  After  its  return, 
it  still  continued  imperfect ;  and,  on  further  applications 
to  M.  Bertoud,  that  artist  acknowledged,  with  great  can- 
dour, that,  although  he  thought  the  principles  on  which  his 
watch  was  constructed  were  good,  he  was  himself  unable  to 
scarry  them  into  effect.  Tlve  count  then  applied  to  Mr. 
Mudge,  requesting  him  to  undertake  the  task  ;  but,  deem- 
ing it  an  indelicate  circumstance  to  interfere  with  the  in-  ' 
ventibns  of  another  artist,  iVlr.  Mudge  expressed  the  great- 
est reluctance  on  the  occasion.  The  importunity  of  the 
count,  however, .  added  to  the  gratitude  which  he  felt  for 
the  distinguishing  marks  of  esteem  he  had  already  received, 
induced  Mr.  Mudge,  at  last,  to  wave  his  objections ;  and  he 

K  K  2 


500  MUDGR, 

had  the  satisfaction  to  be  completely  successful.— The  other 
anecdote  relates  to  a  large  and  complicated  watch  belong- 
ing to  his  majesty,  which  had  long  gone  so  ill  that  it  had 
been  repeatedly  put  into  the  hands  of   the  most  distin- 
guished watchmakers,  to  be  repaired  ;  all  of  whom,  though 
confident  in  their  abilities  to  give  it  the  requisite  perfec- 
tion, had  been  obliged  to  abandon  the  watch  as  incapable 
of  amendment.     It  was  then  put  into,  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Mudge,  who  happily  succeeded.     This  circumstance  gave 
his  majesty  a  very  high  opinion  of  his  superiority  over 
every  other  watch  maker.     In  1777,  he  appointed  him  his 
watchmaker,  and  often  honoured  him  with  conferences  on 
rfiechanical  subjects.     Her  majesty  likewise   expressed  a 
great  esteem,  not  only  for  his  talents  as  an  artist,  but  for 
his  character  as  a  man.     At  one  time,  she  presented  him 
with  fifty  guineas  for  only  cleaning  a  watch  ;  and  it  was 
through  her  recommendation  to  the  lord  chancellor,  that 
bis  second  son  obtained  the  living  of  Bra m ford  Speke,  as 
he  did  afterward  that  of  Lustleigh  through  count  BruhFs 
interest  with  the  hon.  Percy  Charles  Wyndham,  brother 
to  the  earl  of  Egremont. 

We  shall  close  these  memoirs  in  the  words  of  his  excel- 
lency the  count  de  Bruhl :  Mr.  IVIudge  "  was  a  man  whose 
superior  genius  as  an  artist,  united  with  the  liberality  of  a 
mind  replete  with  candour,  simplicity,  modesty,  and  in- 
tegrity, deserve  the  highest  admiration  and  respect ;  whose 
name  will  he  handed  down  to  the  remotest  posterity,  with 
the  same  veneration  which  attends  .the  names  of  his  prede- 
cessors in  the  same  line,  Tompion,  Graham,  and  Harrison, 
who,  while  living,  were  admired. by  their  contemporaries, 
and  whose  fame  adds  to  the  splendour  and  glory  of  this 
great  nation." ' 

MUDO.     SeeNAVARETE. 

MUIS  (Simeon  de),  Hebrew  professor  of  the  Royal 
.College  of  France,  and  one  of  the  ablest  scholars  in  that 
language,  was  born  at  Orleans  in  1587.  Few  particular* 
are  known  of  his  life,  except  that. he  was  educated  for  the 
church,  and  attained  the  preferments  of  canon  and  arch- 
deacon of  Soissons.  His  skill  in  the  Hebrew  language 
made  him  be  considered  as  a  proper  person  to  succeed 
Cayet  as  Hebrew  professor,  and  he  was  accordingly  .pro* 
moted  by  his  majesty  to  that  office  in  Jujy  1614.   :He  ful- 

1  Unirersal  Magazine  for  1795,  apparently  from  authentic  information* 


"M  U  I  S.  %  501 

JiHed  its  duties  with  great  reputation  for  thirty  years,  and 
died  in  1644,  in  the  fifty-seventh  year  of  his  age.  Dupin 
says,  that  he  joined  to  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  He- 
brew, a  solid  and  acute  judgment,  and  wrote  in  a  pure, 
concise,  and  easy  style,  and  had  such  acquaintance 
with  sacred  history,  and  the  fundamentals  of  religion, 
that  few  could  be  better  qualified  to  interpret  scripture. 
The  most  esteemed  of  his  works  is  his  commentary  on  the 
Psalms,  "  Commentarius  litteralis  et  historicus  in  omne? 
Psalm os,"  &c.  1 630,  fol.  His  whole  works  were  published 
in  two  volumes  folio,  at  Paris,  165C,  including  the  above 
on  the  Psalms  :  his  "  Varia  Sacra,"  explaining  the  most 
difficult  passages  of  the  Old  Testament  from  Genesis  to 
Judges :  his  "  Assertio  veritatis  Hebraicae,"  against  father 
Morin,  &c.  &c.' 

MULCASTER  (Richard),  an  eminent  school -master, 
was  descended  .from  an  ancient  family  in  Cumberland. 
His  father,  William  Mulcaster,  resided  at  Carlisle,  where, 
according  to  Wood,  his  son  Richard  was  born.  He  was 
educated  on  the  foundation  at  Eton,  whence,  in  1548,  be 
gained  his  election  to  King's  college,  Cambridge.  Here 
he  took  no  degree,  but  while  scholar  removed  to  Oxford  ; 
for  what  reason  we  know  not.  In  1555,  he  was  elected 
student  of  Christ-Church;  and,,  in  the  next  year,  was  li- 
censed to  proceed  in  arts,  and  became  eminent  for  his  pro- 
ficiency in  Eastern  literature.  He  began  to  be  a  teacher 
about  i559,  and  on  Sept.  24,  1561,  for  his  extraordinary 
accomplishments  in  philology  was  appointed  the  first  mas- 
ter of  Merchant  Taylors'  school,  then  just  founded  ;  and 
he  provided  the  first  usher,  and  divided  the  boys  into 
forms,  &e.  In  this  school  he  passed  nearly  twenty-six 
years;  a  severe  disciplinarian,  according  to  Fuller,  but  be- 
loved by  his  pupils  when  they  came  to  the  age  of  maturity 
and  reflected  on  the  benefit  they  had  derived  from  his  care. 
Of  these,  bishop  Andrews  appears  always  to  have  pre- 
served the  highest  respect  for  him,  had  his  portrait  hung 
over  his  study-door,  behaved  with  great  liberality  to  him, 
and  by  his  will  bequeathed  a  handsome  legacy  to  his  son. 
In  April  1594,  be  was  collated  to  the  prebendal-stall  of 
Gatesbury  in  the  cathedral  of  Sarum ;  and,  in  1596,  he 
resigned  the  mastership  of  Merchant  Taylors.  The  com- 
pany were  desirous  that  he  should  remain  with  them  ;  but 

}  Dupin.— Niceron,  toI.  XXXII.— Mweri. 


SOt  MULCASTER. 

Fuller  has  recorded  that  he  gave  for  answer,  Fidelis  sernft, 
perpetuus  asinus ;  and  it  appears  from  Mr.  Wilson's  His* 
tory  that  he  had  at  last  reasou  to  think  himself  slighted  *. 
With  his  profession  he  certainly  was  not  dissatisfied,  nor 
able  to  give  it  up ;  for  when  he  left  the  Merchant  Taylors, 
be  was  chosen,  in  the  same  year,  1596,  upper  master  of 
St.  Paul's  School,  in  which  office  he  remained  for  twelve 
years,  and  then  retired  to  the  rich  rectory  of  Stamford- 
Rivers,  in  Essex,  to  which  he  had  been  instituted  at  the 
presentation  of  the  queen.  His  retirement  might  also  have 
been  hastened  by  the  loss  of  an  affectionate  wife,  as  well 
as  by  the  decaying  state  of  his  own  health  ;  for,  two  years 
after  putting  up  a  plate  with  an  inscription  to  her  me- 
mory, in  the  church  of  Stamford,  he  died  April  1 5, 1 6 1 1 ,  and 
was  buried  in  the  same  church,  but  without  any  memorial. 

Of  his  private  character  few  particulars  have  been  pre- 
served :  his  temper  was  warm,  but  not  hasty ;  and  though 
Fuller  has  accused  him  of  using  his  scholars  too  harshly, 
we  may  make  some  allowance  when  we  find  he  was  edu- 
cated under  the  same  master  with  Ascham,  Dr.  Nicholas 
Udall,  whose  severity  he  perhaps  imbibed.  Like  Ascham, 
he  was  fond  of  archery,  a  science  once  of  national  con- 
cern, and  was  a  member  of  a  society  of  archers,  called 
Prince  Arthur's  Knights,  from  that  prince  (brother  of 
Henry  VIII.)*  who  was  so  fond  of  this  amusement  that  his 
name  became  the  proverbial  Appellation  of  an  expert  bow- 
man. Mulcaster  was  an  adherent  of  the  reformed  religion, 
a  man  of  piety,  and  "  a  priest  in  his  own  house,  as  well  as 
in  the  temple."  As  a  scholar  he  ranks  high.  His  English 
productions  boast  an  exuberance  of  expression  not  often 
found  in  the  writers  of  his  day  ;  and  his  Latin  works,  not 
inelegant,  were  celebrated  in  their  times.  He  enjoyed, 
likewise,  very  high  reputation  as  a  Greek  and  Oriental  scho- 
lar, and  on  this  last  account  was  much  esteemed  by  the  cele- 
brated Hugh  Broughtoii. 

He  appears  to  have  been  early  addicted  to  dramatic 
composition,  and  occurs  among  those  who  assisted  in  the 
plays  performed  before  queen  Elizabeth  in  1572  and  1*576. 
Whether  he  was  a  student  of  the  classic  drama,  or  still  ad- 
hered to  the  Gothic  spectacles,  is  a  desideratum;  but  it  is 
highly  probable  that  he  united  both.  In  1575,  when  Eli- 
zabeth was  on  one  qf  her  progresses  at  Kenelwortb,  Mul* 

•  See  Wilson's  Hist  of  Merchant  Ttyloi's  School,  p.  73,  etseq* 


MUiCASTER.  m 

carter  produced  tfoohe  Latin  verses  which'  were  spoken 
before  her,  and  have  been  printed  in  Gascoyne's  "Princely 
Pleasures  at  ftenel  worth,"  and   in  Mr.  Nichols'!  "  Pro* 

fresses  of  queep  Elizabeth."  .  They  are  short  and  easy* 
ut,  as  was  usual  with  the  court  productions  of  the  time* 
completely  mythological.  In  1580,  he  prefixed  some 
Commendatory  verses  to  Ocland's  "  Anglorum  prfelia,"  and 
others,  two  years  afterwards,  to  his  '.'  Eifurpfxux."  More, 
perhaps,  may  be  found  in  the  works  of  his  contempora- 
ries :  but  we  must  not  omit  to  notice  his  verses  to  queen 
Elizabeth  on  her  skill  in  music,  printed  in  Tail  is  and  Bird's 
"  Piscantus  Cantiones,"  &c.  1575,  4 to,  and  inserted  by 
Ballard  in  his  memoirs  of  queen  Elizabeth. 

His  separate  works  were  bis  "  Positions,  wherein  those 
primitive  circumstances  be  examined  which  are  necessarie 
tor  the  training  up  of  children,  either  for  skill  in  theire 
book,  or  health  in  their  bodie,"  Lond.  1581,  1587,  4ta. 
To  this  a  second  part  was  promised,  which  seems  to  have 
been  completed  in  1582,  by  the  publication  of  "  the  first 
part  of  the  Elementajie,  which  entreateth  ckefely  of  the 
right  writing  of  the  English  Tung."  These  contain  some 
peculiarities  of  spelling,  and  innumerable  quaintnesses  of 
writing,  joined  to  many  judicious  criticisms  on  the  English 
language.  By  the  Spelling  he  seems  frequently  anxious  to 
§x  the  pronunciation  of  his  words,  and  in  some  parts  we 
may  be  inclined  to  think  he  was  desirous  that  his  words 
should  be  written  a*  they  are  spoken.  In  1601,  he  pub* 
limbed  his  "  Catechismus  Paulinos,  in  usudi  scholae  Pauli- 
IVae  conscriptus,  ad  formam  parvi  illius  Anglici  eatechismi 
qui  pueris  in  communi  precum  Angjicarum  libro  ediscen* 
dus  proponitur,"  8vo.  This  is  in  long  and  short  Verse, 
sometimes  closely,  and  at  others  diffusely,  translated  ;  and^ 
though  now  forgotten,  was  once  in  high  esteem.  Among 
the  letters  at  Penshurst,  is  one  from  Mulcaster  to  sir  Philip 
Sidney,  in  Latin,  dated  Nov.  3,  1575,  the  year  sir  Philip 
went  upon  his  travels.  In  the  Harleian  MSS.  No.  699$,  is 
a  letter  from  Edrtard  Hey  born  to  die  lord-keeper,  in  behalf 
of  Richard  Mulcaster,  who  begged  his  interest  to  secure 
to  him  the  prebend  of  Gatesbury,  which,  we  have  already 
noticed,  he  received.  And  in  M.S.  Smith,  in  the  Bodleian 
library,  No.  lxxvii.  p.  397,  id  one  from  Muleaster  to  Petefr 
Junius,. in  Latiu,  dated  Aiay  13,  1604.*  '        • 

1  Life  in  Gent.  Mag.  vol.  LXX.  by  Henry-Ellis,  esq.  of  the  British  Museum. 
— WiUon'rt  Hist,  of  Merchant  Taylors'  School;  see  Index.— Knight's  Life  of 
Colet,— Warton's  Hist,  of  Poetry.— Fuller's  Worthies.— Ath.  Ox.  vol  I. 


SO*  MU'LLEU 

MULLER  (Andrew),  a  German  divine,  whose  surname 
was  Greiffenhagen,  was  a  native  of  Pomerania,  and  born  in 
1630.  He  studied  at  Rostoch,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
was  distinguished  for  his  compositions  in  the  Hebrew, 
Greek,  and  Latin  poetry.  After  this  he  pursued  his  studies 
with  great  success,  at  Gripswald,  Konigsberg,  and  Wittem- 
berg,  and  became  so  completely  master  of  the  Oriental 
languages,  that,  according  to  Moreri,  he  was*  invited  to 
England  by  Walton  and  Castell  to  assist  in  his  famous  Poly- 
glott  bible  ;  but  in  what  department  his  services  were  em- 
ployed is  not  mentioned  in  the  usual  histories  of  that  un- 
dertaking. Moreri  says  he  lived  ten  years  in  Castell's 
house,  where  his  application  was  so  intense  that  when  Charles 
II.  made  his  triumphal  entry  into  London,  he  would  not  go 
to  the  window  to  look  at  it.  After  his  return  to  Germany, 
he  became  inspector  at  Bernau,  and  provost  at  Berlin. 
He  found  the  duties  of  these  offices  incompatible  with  his 
oriental  studies,  resigned  them  in  a  short  time,  and  de- 
voted himself  wholly  td  his  favourite  pursuits.  At  Stettin, 
whither  he  retired,  he  published,  with  observations,  speci- 
mens of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  in  sixty-six  alphabets.  He  was 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  Chinese,  and  promised  to 
draw  up  a  "  Clavis  Sinica,"  which  he  thought  would  enable 
a  person  of  ordinary  capacity  to  read  Chinese  and  Japanese 
books  in  the  course  of  a  few  months ;  but  this  work  never 
appeared.  He  died  in  1694,  and  by  bis  last  will  bequeathed 
his  Chinese  printing  materials  to  the  library  at  Berlin.  He 
was  author  of  many  very  learned  works ;  particularly 
"Abdallse  Beidavei  Historia  Sinensis  Persice  et  Latine 
cum  nods :"  "  Monumentum  Sinicum  cum  Commentario ;" 
**  Hebdomas  Observationum  de  rebus  Sinicis,"  in  1674, 
Col.  Brand,  4to.  "  <£conomia  Bibliothecoe  Sinicse ;  "  Sym- 
bola  Syriaca,  cum  duabus  Dissertationibus,"  Syr.  Lat. 
Berol.  4to.  Some  of  his  works  were  collected  together  and 
published  in  1695,  with  the  title  of  "  Mulleri  Opuscula 
nonnulla  Orientalia." 1 

MULLER  (Gerard  Frederick),  a  celebrated  German 
traveller  and  writer,  was  born  in  1705,  in  Herforden,  in 
Westphalia,  and  was  educated  at  the  age  of  seventeen  at 
Rinteln  and  Leipsic,  at  which  last  place  he  so  distinguished 
himself,  that  professor  Mencke  obtained  for.  him  the  place 
of  adjunct  in  the  historical  class  of  the  academy  founded 

1  Moreri.— *Saxii  Oriomast. 


MULLER.  505 

*at  Petersburgb  by  Peter  the  Great.  In  that  city  he  was 
Home  time  employed  in  teaching  Latin,  geography,  and 
history,  and  as  assistant  secretary  to  the  institution.  In 
1728,  he  was  made  under-keeper  of  the  imperial  library, 
and  in  1730  he  was  chosen  professor  of  history.  He  now 
applied  for  leave  of  absence,  in  order  to  gratify  his  wish  of 
seeing  foreign  countries.  Iri  the  year  1731  he  visited 
London,  and  was  elected  a  fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  and 
after  his  return  to  Petersburgh  he  was  appointed  to  ac- 
'  company  Gmelin  and  De  Nsle  de  la  Croyere  on  their  tra- 
vels through  Siberia,-  which  occupied  ten  years,  during 
which  they  travelled  4480  German  miles,  or  more  than 
three  times  that  number  of  English  miles.  An  account  of 
their  travels  was  published  by  Gmelin,  in  four  volumes, 
8vo.  After  this,  Muller,  who  was  not  rewarded  in  any  de* 
gree  equal  to- the  labours  and  sufferings  which  he  had  un- 
dergone, undertook,  at  the  desire  of  prince  Jusuppf,  "  A 
Dissertation  on  the  Trade  of  Siberia,"  which,  though  writ- 
ten, or  at  least  begun,  in  1744,  was'not  published  till  1750, 
and  then  only  the  first  part.  In  1747,  he  was  appointed 
historiographer  of  the  Russian  empire,  and  in  1754  he  was 
nominated  by  the  president  to  be  the  secretary  of  the  Aca- 
demy of  Sciences,  and  was  employed  in  superintending  the 
publication  of  their  transactions,  and  in  other  literary  un- 
dertakings. In  1763,  he  was  appointed  director  of  the 
school  for  foundlings,  established  by  Catherine  at  Mos- 
cow, and  in  1766,  he  was  appointed  keeper  of  the  ar- 
chives in  that  city,  with  an  additional  salary  of  1000  roubles* 
From  this  period  till  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1783,  he 
devoted  himself  entirely  to  the  pursuits  of  literature,  having 
been  previously  raised  to  the  rank  of  counsellor  of  state,  and 
invested  with  the  order  of  Wladimir.  Mr.  Coxe,  in  his 
Travels,  vol.  I.  in  speaking  of  Muller,  who  was  then  liv- 
ing, says,  "  He  collected  during  his  travels  the  most  ample 
materials  for  the  history  and  geography  of  this  extensive 
empire,  which  was  scarcely  known  to  the  Russians  them- 
selves before  his  valuable  researches  were  given  to  the 
world  in  various  publications.  His  principal  work  is  "  A 
Collection  of  Russian  Histories,"  in  nine  volumes  octavo, 
printed  at  different  intervals  at  the  press  of  the  Im- 
perial Academy  of  Sciences,  The  first  part  came  out  in 
1732,  and  the  last  in  1764.  This  storehouse  of  information 
and  literature  in  regard  to  the  antiquities,  history,  geogra- 


£06  M  U  L  L  E  R; 

phy,  and  commerce  of  Russia,  and  many  of  the  neighbour- 
ing countries,  conveys  the  most  indisputable  proofs  of  the 
author's  learning,  diligence,  and  fidelity.  To  this  work 
the  accurate  and  indefatigable  author  has  successively  added 
many  other  valuable  performances  upon  similar  subjects! 
both  in  the  German  and  Russian  languages,  which  elucidate 
various  parts  in  the  history  of  this  empire."  Mr.  Coxeadds, 
that  he  spoke  and  wrote  the  German,  Russian,  French, 
and  Latin  tongues,  with  surprizing  fluency  •,  and  read  the 
English,  Dutch,  Swedish,  Danish,  and  Greek,  with  great 
facility.  His  memory  was  surprising ;  and  his  accurate  ac* 
quaintance  with  the  minutest  incidents  of  the  Russian  an- 
nals  almost  surpassed  belief.  His  collection  of  state  papers 
and  manuscripts  were  all  arranged  in  the  exactest  order* 
and  classed  into  several  Volumes,  distinguished  by  the 
names  of  those  illustrious  personages  to  whom  they  princir 
pally  relate  ;  such  as  Peter  L,  Catherine  I.  Menzikof,  Os-f 
term  an,  &c."  l 

MULLER  (John),  commonly  called  Regiomontanus* 
from  his  native  place,  Mons  Regius,  or  Koningsberg,  a 
town  in  Frauconia,  was  born  in  1436,  and  became  the 
greatest  astronomer  and  mathematician  of  his  time.  He 
was  indeed,  a  very  prodigy  for  genius  and  learning* 
Having  first  acquired  grammatical  learning  in  his  own 
country,  he  was  admitted,  while  yet  a  boy,  into  the  aca- 
demy at  Leipsic,  where  he  formed  a  strong  attachment  to 
the  mathematical  sciences,  arithmetic,  geometry,  astror 
nomy,  &c.  But  not  finding  proper  assistance  in  these 
studies  at  this  place,  he  removed,  at  only  fifteen  years 
of  age,  to  Vienna,  to  study  under  the  famous  Purbach, 
the  professor  there,  who  read  lectures  in  those  sciences 
with  the  highest  reputation.  A  strong  and  affectionate 
friendship  soon  took  place  between  these  two,  and  our 
author  made  such  rapid  improvement  in  the  sciences,  thai 
he  was  able  to  be  assisting  to  his  master,  and  to  become 
bis  companion  in  all  his  labours.  In  this  manner  they 
spent  about  ten  years  together,  elucidating  obscurities* 
observing  the  motions  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  com- 
paring and  correcting  the  tables  of  them,  particularly  those 
of  Mars,  which  they  found  to  disagree  with  the  motions* 
sometimes  as  much  as  two  degrees. 

About  this  time  the  cardinal  Bessarion  arrived  at  Vienna, 

1  Coxe's  Travels  in  Poland,  Russia,  &c — Rees's  Cyclopaedia* 


MULLER.  507 

to  negotiate  some  affairs  for  the  pope,  and  being  a  love* 
of  astronomy,  soon  formed  an  acquaintance  with  Purbacb 
and  Regiomontanus.  He  had  begun  to  form  a  Latin  ver* 
sion  of  Ptolomy's  Almagest,  or  an  Epitome  of  it ;  but  not 
having  time  to  go  on  with  it  himself,  he  requested  Pur- 
bach  to  complete  the  work,  and  for  that  purpose  to  return 
with  him  into  Italy,  to  make  himself  master  of  the  Greek 
tongue,  which  he  was  as  yet  unacquainted  with.  To  these 
proposals  Purbacb  only  assented,  on  condition  that  Regio* 
montanus  would  accompany  him,  and  share  in  all  the  law 
bours,  which  were,  however,  soon  interrupted  by  the  death 
of  Purbach,  which  happened  in  1461.  The  whole  task 
then  devolved  upon  Regiomontanus,  who  finished  the  work 
at  Rome,  to  which  city  he  accompanied  the  cardinal  Bes- 
sarion,  and  applied  himself  diligently  to  the  study  of  the 
Greek  language  ;  not  neglecting,  however,  to  make  astro- 
nomical observations,  and  compose  various  works  in  tbat 
science,  as  his  "  Dialogue  against  the  Tueortes  of  Cre-* 
monensis."  The  cardinal  going  to  Greece  soon  after,  Re- 
giomontanus went  to  Ferrara,  where  he  continued  the  study 
of  the  Greek  language  under  Theodore  Gaza ;  who  ex- 
plained to  him  the  text  of  Ptolomy,  with  the  commenta* 
lies  of  Theon ;  till  at  length  he  could  compose  verses  in 
Greek,  and  read  it  critically.  In  1463  he  went  to  Padua, 
where  he  became  a  member  of  the  university ;  and,  at  the 
request  of  the  students,  explained  Alfraganus,  an  Arabian 
philosopher.  In  1464  he  removed  to  Venice,  to  meet  and 
atteud  his  patron  Bessarion.  Here  be  wrote,  with  great 
accuracy,  his  "  Treatise  of  Triangles,9'  and  a  "  Refutation 
of  the  Quadrature  of  the  Circle,"  which  Cardinal  Cusan 
pretended  he  had  demonstrated.  The  same  year  he  re- 
turned with  Bessarion  to  Rome ;  where  he  made  some  stay, 
to  procure  the  most  curious  books:  those  he  could  not 
purchase,  he  took  the  pains  to  transcribe,  for  he  wrote 
with  great  facility  and  elegance ;  and  others  he  got  copied 
at  a  great  expence.  For  as  he  was  certain  that  none  of 
these  books  could  be  had  in  Germany,  he  intended,  on  his 
return  thither,  to  translate  and  publish  some  of  the  best  of 
them.  During  this  time  too  he  had  a  warm  contest  witb 
George  Trapezonde,  whom  he  had  greatly  offended  by 
animadverting  on  some  passages  in  his  translation  of 
Theon's  Commentary. 

Having  now  procured  a  great  number  of  manuscripts, 
which  was  one  great  object  of  his  travels,  he  returned  to 


50S  M  U  L  L  E  R. 

Vienna,  arid  for  some  time  read  lectures ;  after  which  be 
went  to  Buda,  on  the  invitation  of  Matthias  king  of  Hun* 
gary,  who  was  a  patron  of  learned  men,  and  had  founded 
a  rich  and  noble  library  there,  from  the  purchase  of  the 
Greek  books  found  on  the  sacking  of  Constantinople,  and 
others  brought  from  Athens,  or  wherever  else  they  could 
be  met  with  through  the  whole  Turkish  dominions.  But  a 
war  breaking  out  in  this  country,  he  retired  to  Nuremberg, 
which  he  preferred,  because  the  artists  there  were  dex- 
trous in  fabricating  his  astronomical  machines,  and  he 
could  from  thence  easily  transmit  his  letters  by  the  mer- 
chants into  foreign  countries.  Being  how  well  versed  in 
all  parts  of  learning,  and  made  the  utmost  proficiency  in 
mathematics,  he  determined  to  occupy  himself  in  publish- 
ing the  best  of  the  ancient  authors,  as  well  as  his  own  lu- 
cubrations. For  this  purpose  he  set  up  a  printing-house, 
and  formed  a  nomenclature  of  the  books  he  intended  to 
publish,  which  still  remains. 

-  Here  Bernard  Walther,  one  of  the  principal  citizens, 
who  was  well  skilled  in  the  sciences,  especially  astronomy, 
cultivated  an  intimacy  with  Regiomontanus  ;  and  as  soon 
as  he  understood  those  laudable  designs  of  his,  he  took 
upon  himself  the  expence  of  constructing  the  astronomical 
instruments,  and  of  erecting  a  printing-house.  And  first 
he  ordered  astronomical  rules  to  be  made  of  tin,  for  observ- 
ing the  altitudes  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  planets.  He  next 
constructed  a  rectangular,  or  astronomical  radius,  for  taking 
the  distances  of  those  luminaries.  Then  an  armillary  astro- 
labe, such  as  was  used  by  Ptolomy  and  Hipparchus,  for 
observing  the  places  and  motions  of  the  stars.  Lastly,  he 
made  other  smaller  instruments,  as  the  torquet,  and  Pto- 
lomy's  meteoroscope,  with  some  others  which  had  more  of 
curiosity  than  utility  in  them.  From  this  apparatus  it  evi- 
dently appears,  that  Regiomontanus  was  a  most  diligent 
observer  of  the  laws  and  motions  of  the  celestial  bodies,  if 
there  were  not  still  stronger  evidences  of  it  in  the  accounts 
of  the  observations  themselves  which  he  made  with  them. 

With  regard  to  the  printing4iouse,  which  was  the  other 
part  of  his  design  in  settling  at  Nuremberg,  as  soon  as  he 
had  completed  it,  he  put  to  press  two  works  of  his  own,  besides 
**  The  New  Theories"  of  his  master  Purbach,  and  the  "  As- 
tronomicon"  of  Manilius.  His  own  were,  the  "  New  Calen- 
dar," in  which  were  given  the  true  conjunctions  and  opposi- 
tions of  the  luminaries,  their  eclipses,  their  true  places  every 


M  U  L  L  E  R.  509 

day,  &c.  His  other  work  was  his  "  Epbemerides,"  of 
which  he  thus  speaks  in  the  said  index  :  "  The  Epheme* 
rides,  .which  they  vulgarly  call  an  Almanac,  for  30  years ^ 
where  you  may  every  day  see  the  true  motion  of  all  the 
planets,  of  the  moon's  nodes,  with  the  aspects  of  the  moon 
to  the  sun  and  planets,  the  eclipses  of  the  luminaries.;  and 
in  the  fronts  of  the  pages  are  marked  the  latitudes."  He 
published  also  most  acute  commentaries  on  Ptolomy's  Al- 
magest: a  work  which  cardinal  Bessarion  so  highly  valued, 
that  he  scrupled  not  to  esteem  it  worth  a  whole  province* 
He  prepared  also  new  versions  of  Ptolomy's  Cosmography ; 
and  at  his  leisure  hours  examined  and  explained  works  of 
another  nature.  He  inquired  how  high  the  vapours  are 
carried  above  the  earth,  which  he  fixed  to  be  not  more 
than  12  German  miles;  and/ set  down  observations  of  two 
comets  that  appeared  in  1471  and  1472. 

In  1474,  pope  Sixtus  the  4th  conceived  a  design  of  re- 
forming the  calendar;  and  sent  for  Regiomontanus  to 
Rome,  as  the  most  proper  person  to  accomplish  bis  purr 
pose,  who,  although  much  engaged  in  his  studies,  and 
printing,  at  length  consented  to  go.  He  arrived  at  Rome 
in  1475,  but  died  there  the  year  after,  at  only  forty  years 
of  age  ;  not  without  a  suspicion  of  being  poisoned  by  the 
sons  of  George  Trapezonde,  or  Trapezuntius,  whose  fa- 
ther is  said  to  have  been  killed  by  the  criticisms  of  Regio- 
montanus on  his  translation  of  Ptolomy's  Almagest. 

Purbach  was  the  first  who  reduced  the  trigonometrical 
table  of  sines,  from  the  old  sexagesimal  division  of  the 
radius,  to  the  decimal  scale ;  but  Regiomontanus  brought 
this  to  a  much  greater  degree  of  perfection.  He  also  in- 
troduced the  tangents  into  trigonometry,  and  enriched  that 
science  with  so  many  theorems  and  precepts,  that  if  we 
except  the  use  of  logarithms,  the  trigonometry  of  Regio- 
montanus is  but  little  inferior  to  that  of  our  own  time.  His 
treatise,  both  on  "  Plane  and  Spherical  Trigonometry,"  in 
5  books,  was  written  about  1464,  and  printed  at  Nurem- 
berg in  1533,  folio.  In  the  fifth  book  are  various  problems 
concerning  rectilinear  triangles,  some  of  which  are  resolved 
by  means  of  algebra;  a  proof  that  this  science  was  not 
wholly  unknown  in  Europe,  before  the  treatise  of  Lucas 
de  Burgo. 

Regiomontanus  was  the  author  of  some^ther  works  besides 
those  before  mentioned.  Peter  Ramus,  in  the  account  he 
gives  of  him,  tells  us,  that  in  his  work-shop  at  Nuremberg, 


510  MULLER. 

was  an  automaton  in  perpetual  motion ;  that  he  made  ait 
artificial  fly,  which  taking  its  flight  from  bis  hand,  would 
fly  round  the  room,  and  at  last,  as  if  weary,  would  return 
to  his  master's  band ;  that  he  fabricated  an  eagle,  which, 
on  the  emperor's  approach  to  the  city,  he  sent  out,  high 
in  the  air,  a  great  way  to  meet  him,  and  that  it  kept  him 
company  to  the  gate  of  the  city.  "  Let  us  no  more  won- 
der," adds  R&mus,  "  at  the  dove  of  Arcbytas,  since  Nu- 
remberg can  shew  a  fly,  and  an  eagle,  armed  with  geo- 
metrical wing3.  Therefore,  those  famous  artificers,  who 
were  formerly  in  Greece,  and  Egypt,  are  no  longer  of  any 
account,  since  Nuremberg  can  boast  of  her  Regiomonta- 
mises.  For  the  senate  and  people  of  this  city  did  all  in 
their  power  to  have  a  continual  succession  of  Regiomonta- 
nuses.  For  Wernerus  first,  and  then  the  Schoneri,  father 
and  son,  afterwards  revived  the  spirit  of  Regiomontanus."1 
MUNCER,  or  MUNTZERS  (Thomas),  a  celebrated 
German  enthusiast,  called  sometimes.  Moncerus  and 
Monetardus,  was  born  at  Stollberg  in  the  Hartz,  towards 
the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century.  His  father  is  said  to  have 
been  executed  for  some  crime,  and  on  this  account  the 
son  was  thought  desirous  of  taking  his  revenge  on  the  go- 
vernment of  Stollberg.  He  studied  probably  at  Wirtetn- 
berg,  and  acquired  that  knowledge  in  divinity  which  Me- 
lancthon  praises,  and  which  appears  in .  bis  writings.  By 
bis  own  account  he  taught,  in  early  life,  in  the  schools  of 
Aschersleben  and  Halle  in  Saxony ;  and  most  probably  he 
was  then  in  orders.  It  is  certain,  however,  .that  be  soon 
became  attached  to  the  mystics,  and  entertained  the 
wildest  notions  of  fanaticism,  which  pleased  the  lower 
classes  of  the  people,  while  he  preached  at  Stollberg  and 
Zwickau,  where  he  was  settled  as  a  preacher  in  1520. 
Here,  while  he  was  violent  against  popery,  he  wa*  as  little 
contented  with  the  progress  of  Luther's  reformation  ;  the 
church,  he  maintained,  was  but  half  reformed,  and  a  new 
and  pure  church  of  the  true  sons  of  God  remained  to  be 
established.  About  this  time  be  connected  himself  with 
Nicholas  Storck,  a  leader  s^mong  the  baptists,  who  pre- 
tended to  have  communications  with  the  Almighty,  and  to 
bold  greater  purity  of  doctrine  than  the  n*st  of  the  party. 
Muncer  was  a  convert  to  bis  notions,  and  became  ardent 

1  Bibl.  Germanique,  vol.  XXXIV.— -Martin's  Bioj*  Philot*—  Gattendi  in  vifc 
Regioinontani.— Hutton's  Dictionary , 


M  U  N  C  E  R.  511 

in  making  proselytes.  He  maintained  that  for  men  to  avoid 
vice,  they  must  practise  perpetual  mortification.  They 
must  put  on  a  grave  countenance,  speak  but  little,  wear  a 
plain  garb,  and  be  serious  in  their  whole  deportment. 
Such  as  prepared  their  hearts  in  this  manner,  might  expect 
that  the  Supreme  Being  would  direct  all  their  steps,  and 
by  visible  signs  discover  his  will  to  them  ;  if  that  illumina- 
tion be  at  any  time  withheld,  he  says  we  may  expostulate 
with  the  Almighty,  and  remind  him  of  his  promises.  This 
expostulation  will  be  acceptable  to  God,  and  will  at  last 
prevail  on  him  to  guide  us  with  the  same  unerring  hand 
which  conducted  the  patriarchs  of  old.  He  also  main- 
tained, that  all  men  were  equal  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
that,  therefore,  they  ought  to  have  all  things  in  common, 
and  should  on  no  account  exhibit  any  marks  of  subordina- 
tion or  pre-eminence.  With  these  sentiments  he  endea- 
voured to  establish  in  Alstadt  a  new  kingdom  upon  earth, 
or  a  society  of  pious,  holy,  and  awakened  people.  With 
these  people  he  was  accused,  in  1524,  of  having  plundered 
a  church  in .  a  neighbouring  village,  burnt  a  chapel,  and 
committed  many  other  outrages;  and  as  the  affair  made  a 
great  noise,  he  was.  cited  to  answer  to  the  charges  at  Wei- 
mar ;  but  finding  that  the  utmost  severity  was  to  be  used 
against  him,  he  remained  at  Alstadt,  where  his  companions 
were  so  riotous,  that  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  re- 
moving to  a  distance.  After  some  little  time  he  settled  at 
Nuremberg,  where  he  published  a  vehement  censure  upon 
Luther,  which,  with  some  irregularities,  occasioned  his 
expulsion  by  the  government.  Taking  then  a  journey  into 
Stfabia,  he  found  every  where  numerous  and  attentive 
bearers.  His  stay  in  Swabia  gave  rise  to  the  report  that 
he  was  the  author  of  the  famous  twelve  articles  of  the  pea- 
iants  ;  but  his  biographer  endeavours  to  prove  that  he  had 
no  part  in  the  insurrection  which  broke  out  in  that  part  of 
the  country.  In  the  beginning  of  1525,  he  returned  back 
into  Saxony,  and  was  received  with  great  favour  by  the 
citizens  of  Muhlhausen,  and,  against  the  consent  of  their 
council,  appointed  their  preacher.  Here  his  influence 
goon  became  predominant :  the  old  council  was  entirely 
set  aside,  and  a  new  one  chosen  : — the  monks  were  driven 
away,  and  their  estates  sequestered.  Muncer  himself  was 
elected  into  the  council,  and  proposed  an  equal  communi- 
cation of  property,  and  similar  reforms,  agreeable  to  the 
taste  of  the  people. 


512  M  U  N  C  E  L 

The  tumults  in  Swabia  and  Franconia  were  the  signal  U> 
Muncer  to  attempt  the  same  in  Thuringia.  Churches, 
monasteries,  castles,  were  plundered ;  and  the.  success 
attending  these  first  attempts  increased  the  popular  fury; 
and  the  monks,  the  nuns,  and  the  nooility,  were  the  parti- 
cular objects  of  their  resentment.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
repeat  here  t..e  history  of  these  troubles;  suffice  it,  that 
Muncer  was  at  last  overpowered  in  1526,  and  put  to  death. 
At  his  execution  he  is  said  to  have  shewn  signs  of  penitence. 

His  biographer  says  that  among  his  writings,  three  on 
the  establishing  of  the  new  reform  at  Alstadt,  are  of  con- 
siderable value,  and  strives  to  prove  that  the  grounds  of 
Luther's  opposition  to  these  changes  lay  in  his  consent  not 
being  first  requested ;  from  which  he  looked  upon  them  as 
an  inroad  into  his  reformation  ;  but  it  is  more  consistent  to 
infer  that  Luther  was  fearful  of  the  consequences  which 
must  attend  the  impetuosity  of  Muncer.  His  biographer 
las  accumulated  testimonies  of  Muncer's  learning,  giveu 
by  Melanchthon,  Lutber,  Spangenberg,  Camerarius,  and 
others  ;  and  from  his  own  writings  on  faith,  on  the  scrip- 
tures, and  on  baptism.  He  also  gives  some  proofs  of  the 
dreadful  oppressions  under  which  the  peasants  laboured.  irt 
the  time  of  Muncer;  from  which  there  may  be  reason  to 
conclude  that  an  explosion  would  have  taken  place  even  if 
Muncer  had  not  existed.  This  is  not  improbable,  for  men 
of  Muncer's  .turbulent  disposition  generally  mix  something 
that  is  real  with  their  imaginary  complaints  and  ambitious 
designs.  *  . 

MUNDAY  (Antony),  is  celebrated  by  Meres,  amongst 
the  comic  poets,  as  the  best  plotter ;  and  a  few  of  bis 
dramatic  pieces,  enumerated  in  the  Biog.  Dramatica,  are 
occasionally  to  be  met  with  and  purchased  as  curiosities* 
He  appears  to  have  been  a  writer  through  a  very  long 
period,  there  being  works  existing  published  by  him  for 
the  booksellers,  which,  are  dated  in  1580  and  1621,  and 
probably  both  earlier  and  later  than  those  years.  He  fre- 
quently employed  his  talents  on  the  translation  of  romances, 
but  with  little  spirit  or  fidelity.  He  rendered  himself  more 
celebrated  in  his  day  as  the  author  of  the  city  pageants, 
from  1605  to  1616.  In  1582  he  detected  the' treasonable 
practices  of  Edmund  Campion,  and  his  confederates,  of 

1  Life  by  Strobel,  printed  at  Nuremberg,  1795.— Robertson's  Charles  V.-~ 
Milper's  Church  Hist.  vol.  IV.  part  II,  p.  785,  .fcc. 


IffUNDA  Y.  513 

which  he  published  an  account,  wherein  he  is  styled. 
"  some  time  the  pope's  scholler  allowed  in  the  seminarie 
at  Roome."  The  publication  of  this  pamphlet  brought 
down  upon  him  the  vengeance  of  his  opponents,  one  of 
whom,  in  ah  answer  to  him,  has  given  his  history  in  these 
words: 

"N^lunday  was  first  a  stage-player,  after  an  apprentise, 
which  tyme  he  wel  served  with  deceaving  of  his  master,  then 
wand  ring  towardes  Italy,  by  his  own  report  became  a  co- 
sener  in  his. journey.     Comming  to  Rome,  in  his  short 
abode  there,  was  charitably  relieved,  but  never  admitted 
in  the  seminary,  as  he  pleseth  to  lye  in  the  title  of  his 
booke,  and  being  wery  of  well  doing  returned  home  to  his 
first  vomite,  and   was   hist  from   his  stage  for  his  folly. 
Being  therby  discouraged  he  set  forth  a  balet  against 
plays,  though  (o  constant  youth)  he  afterwards  began  again 
to  ruffle  upon  the  stage.     I  omit  (continues  this  author), 
among  other  places  his  behaviour  in  Barbican  with  his 
good  mistress  and  mother.    Two  things,  however,  must 
not  be  passed  over  of  this  boy's  infelicitie,  two  several 
ways  of  late  notorious.     Firsi  he  writing  upon  the  death  of 
Everard  Haunse,  was  immediately  controled  and  disproved, 
by  one  of  his  owne  batche,  and  shortly  after  setting  forth 
the  apprehension  of  M.  Campion  was  disproved  by  George 
(I  was  about  to  say  Judas)  Eliot,  who  writing  against  him, 
proved  that  those  things  he  did  were  for  lukers  sake  only, 
and  not  for  the  truthe  thogh  be  himself  be  a  person  of  the 
same  predicament,  of  whom  I  muste  say  that  if  felony  be 
honesty,  then  he  may  for  his  behaviore  be  taken  for  a  law- 
ful witness  against  so  good  men." 

It  will  take  from  the  credit  of  this  narrative  to  observe, 
that  our  author  was,  after  this  time,  servant  to  the  earl 
of  Oxford,  and  a  messenger  of  the  queen's  bed-chamber, 
posts  which  he  would  scarcely  have  held  had  his  character 
been  so  infamous  as  is  represented  above. 

This  author,  of  whom  various  particulars,  with  speci- 
mens of  bis  works,  may  be  seen  in  our  authorities,  died  in 
his*  eightieth  year,  Aug.  10,  1633,  and  was  buried  in  the 
parish  church  of  St  Stephen,  Coleman- street,  with  a,  mo- 
nument, cm  which  he  is  styled  citizen  and  draper  of  Lon* 
don,  and  a  learned  antiquary.  It  appears  that  be  collected 
the  arms  of  the  county  of  Middlesex,  lately  transferred 
from  sir  Simeon  Stuart's  library  to  the  British  Museum ; 

Vol*  XXII;    -  Ll  ' 


114  H  U  N  D  A  Y. 

J' 

tfnd  was  in  ,t6 18the  editor  of  a  reprint  of  Stow's  «  Survey 
of  London/'  with  additions. l 

MUNDINUS,  or  MONDINO,  a  physician  deservedly 
celebrated  in  the  dark  ages,  wasi  born  at  Milan,  according 
to  Freind  and  Douglas,  and  flourished  early  in  the  four- 
teenth century.  He  held  the  professorship  of  medicine  at 
Bologna  in  131-6,  and  enjoyed  an  extensive  reputation 
throughout  Italy,  principally  for  his  anatomical  pursuits, 
in  which,  however,  Eloy  thinks  he  shewed  more  zeal  than 
success,  although  he  was  the  first  among  the  moderns  who 
dissected  human  bodies.  He  was  the  author ,  6f  a  work, 
entitled  <*  A natomia  omnium  humani  Corporis  interioruaa 
Membrorum,"  first  printed  at  Pavia  iti  1478,  in  fol.  re- 
printed at  least  fourteen  times,  the  last  in  1633,  12mo, 
with  various  commentaries.  It  is~a  methodical  treatise, 
very  copious  upon  the  subyect  of  the  viscera,  in  the  de- 
acription  of  which  he  introduced  many,  original  observ.- 
tions,  but  passes  lightly  over  the  subject  of  the  nerves  and 
blood-vessels.  With  all  its  errors,  which  are  very  copious* 
it  conferred  a  real  benefit  on  the  infant  science,  and  the 
statutes  of  Padua,  and  some  other  medical  schools  of  Italy* 
prohibited  the  use  of  every  other  work,  as  a  text-book  for 
the  students  of  anatomy.  Mundinus  died  at  Bologna, 
Aug.  30,  1318,  and  was  buried  in  the  church  of  St.  VitaL* 

MUNICH  (Burchard  Christopher),  a  celebrated  mi- 
litary  officer,  was  born  at  New  Huntorf,  in  the  county  of 
Oldenburgh,  in  1683.  He  was  the  son  of  a  Danish  officer 
and  received  an  excellent  education.  >  When  only  seven* 
teen  he  entered  -into  the  service  »f  the  landgrave  of  Hesse 
Darmstadt.  .He  was  present  at  the  siege  of  Landau,  and 
learned  the  art  of  war  Under  the  duke  of  Marlborough  tind 
prince  Eugene.  He,was  alwaysneniarkablefor  bis  bravery* 
for  which,  at  the  battle  *>£  <Malplaquet,  -  be  was  made  a 
lieutenant-colonel.  In  1716  Eft  quitted  the  Hessian,  and 
entered  into  the  Polish  service;  but,  in  1721,  on  some 
disgust,  he  went  into  Russia,  and  was  honourably  received 
by  Peter  I.  After  many  offices  bf  trust  in  the  army  and 
state,  he  was  made  a  marshal  (by  (hef  empress  Anne,"  and 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  warrdepartment  ;?<and,  itv  1737-S; 
served  with  great  spccess  against  die  Turk*?  Socfti  after 
the  death  of  the  empress,  not  being  appointed  generalise 

1  Biog.  Dram,— Wartou'i  HUt.  of  Poetry.— Ritgon't  BAl  PoeW- 
grapher,  yols.  I.  and  II. 
I  Eloy,  Did.  BmU  de  Medicine,— Freintft  Hist,  of  Phytic. 


MUNICH.  315 

tttrio  as  hg  expected;  be  resigned  his  employments,  but 
remained  in  Russia,  though  strongly  invited  to  the  court 
of  Prussia.  In  1741  he  was  arrested,  by  order  of  Eliza- 
beth, and,  when  examined,  was  so  disgusted  by  the  ques- 
tions proposed  to  him,  that  he  desired  his  judges,  who  ap- 
peared resolved  to  convict  him,  to  put  down  the  answers 
•they  wished  him  to  make,  and  he  would  sign  them.  He 
was  thus,  after  a  mock  trial,  condemned  to  lose  his  life  ; 
<bitt  Elizabeth  changed  tbift  into  perpetual  imprisonment^ 
which  he  suffered  for  twenty  years  at  Pelim  in  Siberia.  At 
4be  accession  of  Peter  III.  an  order  arrived  for  his  release, 
which  so  affected  him  that  hefaipted  away.  Departing  for 
Petersburg!)*  he  appeared  there  in:  the  same  sheep*-skin 
dress  he  had  worn  during  biscaptivity.  The  emperor  re*- 
xieived  him  with  kindness,  and  restored  him  to  his  former 
-rank.  He  enjoyed  the  favour  of  Peter  and  Catharine  till 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  happened  in  October  1767,  at 
the  age  of  eighty  -five*  He  was  a  maa.of  great  telepts*  and 
-possessed  many  and  distinguished  .virtues,  but  he  was  not 
without  his  defects.  His  faults,,  however,  scarcely  injured 
my  but  himself,  but  his  excellencies  were«ofi  vast  benefit  to 
Russia.  He  favoured  literature,  and  frequented  the  com- 
pany of  learned  men.  He  was  acquainted  with  the  arts, 
for  which  he  had  a  considerable  taste,  but  he  distingu&tied 
himself  most  as  a  general,  and,  by  his  knowledgexrf  tactics : 
he  has,  however,  been  accused  of  exercising  too  much 
severity  to  those  who  were  under  his  command.  It  is  said 
that  a  system  of  fortifications,  and  some  other  writings  of 
count  Munich's  have  been. published,  but  we  have  not  met 
with  them  in  this  country,  nor  with  a  life  of  him  published 
in  German  at  Oldenburgh  in  1803.  * 

MUNOZ  (JottN  Baptist),  a  Spanish  historian,  was  born 
in  1745  at  Museros,  a  village  near  Valentia,  and  studied 
in  thte  university  oft  Madrid.  From  his  earliest  years  he 
discovered  a  taste  superior  to  what  was  inculcated  in  the 
usual  course  of  academic  studies,  and>made  uncommon 
progress  in  the  sciences  and  in  polite  literature.  'At  the 
age  of  twenty-two,  he  wrote  prefaces  to  the,  Rhetoric  of 
Louis  of  Grenada,  and  the  Logic  of  Vemei,iin<  both'  which 
he  displayed  great  erudition.  He  was  :afterwa*dfc$  doubt* 
less  from  having  turned  his  thoughts  to*  that  branch,  ap- 
pointed by>  government  cosmographer  of  the  Indies,  and 

1  Diet,  flirt,— Cwe'«  Travels  in  Poland,  &c. 

LL2 


r 


516  M  U  N  O  Z. 

filled  this  office  with  distinguished  ability,  until  the  prink* 
minister  Galvez,  by  order  of  the  king,  employed  him  on  a 
history  of  America.     This  undertaking  he  commenced  in 
1779,  and  obtained  access,  not  only  to  all  the  papers  and 
documents  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  India  depart- 
ment at  Madrid,  and  in  the  Escurial,  but  likewise,  on  a 
farther  recommendation  of  his  Catholic  majesty,  to  alt  the 
public   and   private  libraries  at   Simancas,  Seville,   Sala- 
manca, Valladolid,  Grenada,  &c.   &c.   and  even   in  the 
TofT£  di  tombo  at  Lisbon,  and  other  places  to  which  pre- 
ceding writers  had  not  obtained  access.     This  research 
occupied  above  five  years,  in  the  course  of  which  he  col- 
lected a  vast  mass,  in  one  hundred  and  thirty  volumes,  of 
original  and-  hitherto  undescribed  documents,  letters  of 
Columbus,  Pizarro,  Ximenes,  &c.  from  which  he   com* 
posed  his  "  Historia  del  nuovo  Mondo,"  published  at  Ma- 
drid, 1795,  in  fol.  and  which  is  known  in  this  country  by 
a  translation  published  in  1797,  in  one  vol.  8vo.    This  vo- 
lume is  divided  into  six  books ;  in  the  first  two  the  author 
describes  the  imperfect  state  of  geographical  knowledge 
among  the  aneients ;  the  accessions  which  it  received  in 
the  middle  ages ;  the  voyages  of  discovery  made  by  the 
French,  Portuguese,  and  Spaniards,  previously  to  the  time 
of  Columbus,  with  the  circumstances  that  produced  his 
conjectures  respecting  the  existence  of  a  new  continent, 
&c.    The  third  and  remaining  books  commence  and  con- 
tinue the  history  of  his  discoveries' to  1500.     More  of  this 
work,  however,  has  not  appeared.     The  author,  we  *  are 
told,  had  finished  nearly  three  books  of  the  second  volume, 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  July  19,  1799,  and  we  do  not 
find  that  he  has  had  a  successor,  for  which  perhaps  the 
subsequent  political  state  of  kis  country  may  account.     Be- 
fore this  he  acquired  great  reputation  by  his  other  works ; 
namely,  1*  "  De  recto  philosophise  reeentis  in  theologia 
U3u,  dissertatio,"  Valent.  1767.     2.  "De  scriptoram  gen- 
tilium  lectione,    et  profiuiarum  disciplinarum   studiis  ad 
Christians  pietatis  normam  exigendis,"  ibid.  1768.  3.  "In- 
stkutiones  philosophies,1'  ibid.  1768.     4.  "  A  Treatise  on 
the  Philosophy  of  Aristotle,"  &o.  1768,  &C.1 

MUNSTER  (Sebastian),  an  eminent  German  divine 
and  mathematician,  was  born  at  Ingbelbeim  in  1489;  and, 
at  fourteen  commenced  his  studies  at  Heidelberg.    Two 

1  Diet.  Hist.— BritUh  Critic,  rot.  III. 


M  U  N  S  T  E  R.  517 

years  after,    he  entered  the  convent  of  the  Cordeliers, 
where  he  laboured  assiduously;  yet  did  not  content  \ii  a 
self  with  the  studies  relating  to  his  profession,  but  .iv^n^i'- 
himself  also  to  mathematics  and  cosmography,     ty-:  wu 
the  first  who  published  a  "  Chaldee  Grammar  ana  r.t:c~ 
con ;"  and  gave  the  world,  a  short  time  after,  a  "  Talmu- 
dic  Dictionary."     He  went  afterwards  to  Basil,  and  sue* 
ceeded  Pelicanus,  of  whom  he  had  learned  Hebrew,  ia 
the  professorship  of  that  language.     He  was  one  of  the 
first  who.  attached  himself  to  Luther,  but  meddled  little  in 
the  controversies  of  the  age;  employing  his  time  and  at- 
tention chiefly  to  the  study  of  the  Hebrew. and  other  Oii-  • 
ental  languages,  mathematics,  and  natural  philosophy.    He  * 
published  a  great  number  of  works  on  these  subjects,  of  - 
which  the  principal  is  a  Latin  version  from  the  Hebrew  of  * 
ail  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  learned  notes,  - 
printed  at  Basil  in  1534  and  1546.     This  is  thought  more ' 
faithful  than  the  versions  of  Pagninus  and  Arias  Monta- 
nus;  and  bis  notes  are  generally  approved,  thoogh.be' 
dwells  a  little  too  long  upon  the  explications  of  the  rabbins/. 
For  this  version  he  was  called  the  German  Esdras, .  as  he 
was  the  German  Strabo  for  an  "  Universal  Cosmography,1' 
in  six  books,  which  he  printed  at  Basil  in  1550.     He  pub-  - 
lisbed  also  a  treatise  on  dialling,  in  fol.   1536,  in  which  is 
the  foundation  of  the  modern  art  of  dialling ;  a  translation  ' 
of  Josephus  into  Latin ;  "  Tabulae  novae  ad  geog.  Ptole- 
masi,"  «.«  Rudimenta  mathematical  &c.     He  was  a  paci- 
fic, studious,  retired  man,  and,  Dupin  allows,  one.of  the , 
most  able  men  that  embraced  the  reformed  religion.     For.: 
this  reason  Beza  and  Verheiden  have  placed  him  among  * 
the  heroes  of  the  reformation,*  although  he  wrote  nothing  - 
expressly  on  the  subject.     He  died  at  Basil,  of  the  plague, 
May  23;  1552.1 

MUNTZER.     See  MUNCER. 

MURATORI  (Lewis  Anthony),  a  learned  Italian  an- 
tiquary, and  one  of  the  most  voluminous  writers  of  his  age 
and  country,  was  born  at  Vignola  in  the  duchy  of  Modena, 
Oct.  21,  1672.  He  was  educated  at  Modena,  and  his  in- 
clination leading  him  to  the  church,  as  a  profession)  he 
went  through  the  regular  courses  of  philosophy  and  di-. 
vinity,  but  without  neglecting  polite  liteuature,  to  which  he 

» 

1  Dupin. — Beze   Icones.— Verheiden.— -Moreri.— Hut  ton's   Diet— Blount's 

Cf  nsurai-— Savii  Onomast. 


518  MURATOR  f. 

was  early  attached*    Baccbini  recommended  tbe  ecclesi- 
astical writers  to  bis  attention,  and  he  at  length  became 
£0  devoted  to  general  reading,  as  to  pay  little  attention  to 
bis  destined  profession*     In  1695,  the  knowledge  of:  books 
which  he  bad  accumulated,  procured  him  the  place  of  one . 
of  tbe  librarians  of  the  celebrated  Ambrosia'n  collection  at. 
Milan ;  and  although  he  had  by  this  time  received  his  doc- 
tor's degree  and  been  admitted  into  orders,  it  was  now 
that  he  entered  upon  that  course  of  study  and  research 
which  distinguished  him  in  future  life.     His  first  publica* 
tioii  was  vols.  I  and  II.  of  bis  "  Anecdota  Latina,"  printed 
at  Milan  in  1697  and  1698,  4to.     In  1700  he  went  to  Mo«. 
dena  to  take  possession  of  the  office  of  keeper  of  tbe  ar« 
chives  of  the  house  of  £ste,  and  that  of  librarian  to  tbe 
duke  of  Modena,  his  patron.     Here  he  remained  for  soma 
years,  with  die  exception  of  an  interruption  occasioned  by 
the  war  in  1702,  when  the  French  took  possession  of  Mo* 
dena.    The  same  year  that  he  came?  here  he  was  editor  of 
« Vita  et  Rime  dt  Carlo  M.  Maggi,"  printed  at  Milan, 
5  vols,  and  in   1703  published  his  "  Primi  disegni  della 
Kepablica  Letteraria  d'ltalia  ;'»  this  was  followed  by  "  Pro- 
legomena, &c.  in  librnm,  tut  tkulus,,  Elucidatio  Augtis- 
tinianm  de  dievina  gcatia  doctrine,1'  Cologn,  1705 ;  "  Let- 
tere  ai  generosi  e  teortesi  Letterati  d'ltalia,"  Venice,- 1705; 
"  Delia  Perfetta  Poesia  Italians,  &c."  2  vols,  a  very  in- 
genious dissertation  on  Italian  poetry,  which  occasioned  a 
prolonged  controversy,  now  no  longer  interesting.    Two 
editions,  however,  were  afterwards  published*  with  critical 
notes  by  Salvini,  tbe  one  in  1724,  2  vols*  4to*  and  the 
other,  which  is  esteemed  the  best,  in  1748.     He  published 
pbo  at  Bologna  in  1707,  "  Lettera  in  disesa  del  Mareh. 
G.  6.  Orsi ;"    and  u  Introduzione  alle  paci  private,19  Mo- 
dena, 1708.     In  ihe  same  year  he  first  began  to  write, 
under  the  assumed  name  of  Lamindo  Pritanio,  "  Riflessioni 
sepra  B  buon  gusto,  &c."  of  which  a  second  part  appeared 
fit  Naples  in  1715.    After  this  appeared,  under  his  proper' 
pame,  "  Osservazioni  sopra  una  lettera  intitolata,  II.  do- 
minio  temporale  della  sede  Apostolipa  sopra  laj  citta  di 
Comacchio,"   &c.  >  Modenfl»>17jflJB ;  and,  "  EpistoJa  ad  Jo. 
Albert.  Fabric i urn,"  17Q9.    In  this  last-year,  be  published 
another  of  his  vj^pable  collections   upder.  t^e  title   of 
€i  Anecdota  Graeca,"  Gr.  &  Lat.  4to,  which,  as  well  as  bis 
tf  Anecdota  Latina,*^(coihptefed'  in  4  vols,  at  Padua,  1713} 
yrpr$  taken  from  MSS.  \n  th$  Amb^osian library,    He  pub- 


M  3J;  ?R  .A  T  OIL  SI* 

% 

4 

Hafaed  Also  before  1X15  gome!  other  iworks  of  lesser  value, 
which,  however,  <shoived  how-in^ensfe  h)s 'labours  were,  for 
be  had.  accepted  of  feonie  preferments  ii>  the  church,  the 
duties  $>f  which  he  performed  with  great  assiduity,  and  wai 
particularly  distinguished  for  his  humane  care  of  the  poor, 
who  indeed  shared  the  greater  part  of  the  profits  of  his 
benefices,  and  the  rest  went  to  the  repairs  or  furniture  of 
tine  churches  under  his  care. 

In  1715  and  1716  he  visited  various  libraries  in  Italy,  in 
ordfer  to  collect  materials  for  a  history  of  the  house  of  Este, 
and  that  of  Brunswick  which  arose  from  it  •  In  Leibnitz's 
works,  we  find  a  Latin  epistle  which  Mufatori  addressed  to 
him  about  1711,  on  theconnectio5r«between  the-  houses  of 
.Brunswick  and  Este;  and  h&waa  encouraged  in-  his  present 
inquiries  by  the  duke  of  Modena,  and  by  George  I.  king 
of  Great  Britain.  The  Result  of  his  labours  appeared  in  2 
-vols-  fol.  under  the  .title  of  (t  Del  I'Antichita  Estense  et 
JtaJiane,"  Modena,  1717 — 1740.  Hit  publications  on 
other  subjects,  in  almost  every  branch  of  literature,  were 
exceeding  numerous;  but  referring  to  Fabroni's  copious 
catalogue,  it  may  be  sufficient  in  this  place  to  notice  only 
those  on  which  his  fame  is  chiefly  founded,  and  which  art 
still  in  demand  by  scholars  and  antiquaries.  These  are, 
1.  "  Liturgia  Romana  vetus,  tria  Sacramentaria  complec* 
tens,"  Venice,  174S,  2  vols.  fol.  2.  "De  Paradise,  reg- 
aique  eelestis  gloria,  liber,  adversus  Burnetii  librum  do 
statu  mortuorum,"  Veropa,  1738,  4to.  3.  "  Antiquitates 
Italics  medii  aevi,  post  declinationem  Romani  imperii  ad 
ann.  1500,"  Milan,  1738 — 42,  6  vols.  fol.  Of  this  there 
is  an  edition  printed  at  Arezzo,  1780,  in  17  Vols.  4to.  It 
contains  many  curious  dissertations  On  the  manners,  go- 
vernment, religion,  &c.  of  the  kalians  ef  the  darker  ages, 
with  a  large  supplement  of  charters,  clsronicles,  &c.  4» 
€€  Rerum  Italicarum  Scriptorea  prscipui  ab  jinno  aerie 
Christ.  D.  ad  MD."  ibid.  1723—51,  25  vols,  usually  bound 
in  28  or  29,  fol.  Complete  copies  of  this  vast  work  are 
not  easily  met  with.  Tartan's  supplement,,  in  2  vols.  foL 
1748 — -70,  and  Mittarelli's  "  Accessiones  ad  script  rerum 
Italic."  1771,  are  necessary  to  the  collection.  Gibbon  re- 
marks that  a  volume  of  chronological  and  alphabetical  tables, 
is  still  wanting,  the  work  being  in  a  disorderly  and  confused 
state.  5.  "  Novut  Thesaurus  veterum  Inscription  urn," 
Milan,  1739 — 42,  4  vols.  fol.  This  requires  Donati's 
"  Supplement"  published  at  Lucca,  Hj>§9  2  vols.  fol.  or, 


£&0  MURATORi 

with  the  title  of  "  Veterum  Inscriptionum  Gr.  et,Lat  no- 
vissimus  thesaurus,"  1775,  2  vols.  fol.  6.  "  Dissertastont 
6opr$i  le  antichita  Itfdiana,  da  Lod.  Ant.  Muratori,  opera 
postuma  data  in  luce  da  Gian.  Fran.  Soli  Muratori,"  (bis  ne- 
phew) Milan,  1751,  3  vols.  4 to.  This  has  been  thrice. 
reprinted,  in  4to  and  8vo.  It  is  a  free  translation  of  the 
ii  Antiquitates  Italics  medii  aevi,"  by  the  author.  7. 
€i  Annali  d' Italia  dal  principio  dell'  era  volgare,  sioo  all? 
unno  1749,"  Milan,  1744 — 49,  12  vols.  4to.  Of  this  also 
there  have  been  several  editions  and  a  continuation.  The 
Venetian  and  Florentine  catalogues  mention  an  edition  of 
Muratori's  whole  works  (we  presume  those  only  that  are 
original)  which  was  begun  in  1790  at  Venice,  and  extends 
to  43  vols.  Svo;  and  another  printed  at  Arezzo,  1767— SO, 
in  36  vols.  4 to. 

Among  the  many  subjects  which  engaged  the  pen  of  this 
laborious  writer,  was  that  of[  religion,  in  which  he  was  so 
unfortunate  as  to  excite  suspicions  of  his  orthodoxy  ;  but 
although  this  involved  him  in  temporary  controversies,  it 
does  not  appear  that  he  was  brought  into  very  serious 
trouble.  Having  thought  it  necessary  to  vindicate  himself 
to  pope  Benedict  IV.  he  appears  to  have  succeeded,  and 
was  much  esteemed  by  that  pontiff.  He  was  enabled  by  a 
course  of  temperance  to  enjoy  good  health  to  a  very  ad- 
vanced period  of  life,  and  felt  little  decay  until  a  few 
months  before  his  death,  Jan.  21,  1750,  in  his  seventy* 
eighth  year.  During  the  period  of  his  authorship  he  en* 
joyed  a  most  extensive  reputation,  principally  as  an  antu 
quary,  and.  carried  on  a  correspondence  with  the  most 
distinguished  men  of  learning  in  Europe,  He  was,  also  a 
member  of  many  learned  societies,  and  was  chosen  into 
our  royal  society  as  early  as  1717.  He  has  been  called  the 
Montfoucon  of  Italy,  and  ranks  with  that  eminent  antiquary, 
ashaving  performed  the  most  important  services  to  the  his* 
tory  of  his  country. * 

MURETUS  (Marc  Anthony),  a  very  ingenious  and 
learned  critic,  was  descended  from  a  good  family,  and 
born  at  Muret,  a  village  near  Limoges,  in  France,  April 
11,  1526.  We  know  not  who  were  bis  masters,  nor  what 
the  place  of  his  education ;  but  it  was  probably  Limoges. 
Bencius,  in  his  funeral  oration  on  him,  and  Bullart  say 

1  Life  by  his  nephew,  Veotee,  1756.*— and  by  Breuna,  ui  Fahroui's  coUtctiQBf 
Vol.  X.— S***ii  Qnopoast, 


MURETU'S.  S21 

that  be  spent  his.  youth  at  Agen,  where  he  had  Julius 
-Cttsar  Scaliger  for  his  preceptor ;  but  Joseph  Scaliger,  his 
son,  denies  this,  and  affirms  that  Muretus  was  eighteen 
when  he  first  came  to  Agen,  to  see  his  father.  He  adds, 
that  he  passed  on  thetice  to  Auch,  where  he  began  to  teach 
io  the  arcbiepiscopal  college,  and  to  read  lectures  upon 
Cicero  and  Terence.  After  some  stay  in  this  place,  he 
went  to  Villeneuve ;  where  he  was  employed  by  a  rich 
merchant  in  the  education  of  his  children,  and  at  the  same 
time  taught  Latin  in  a  public  school.  Two  years  after  bis 
settling  here,  he  went  to  Agen,  to  pay  a  visit  to  Scaliger, 
who  had  the  highest  opinion  and  affection  for  him,  and  who 
Aver  kept  up  a  most  intimate  correspondence  with  him: 
He  removed  from  Villeneuve  to  Paris,  from  Paris  to  Poic- 
tiers,  from  Poictiers  to  Bourdeaux  in  1547,  and  fr6m  Bour- 
deaux  to  Paris  again  in  1552.  This  year  he  recited  in  the 
ehurch  of  the  Bernardins,  his  first  oration,  "  De  dignifate 
ac :  pnestantia  studii  theologici ;"  and  this  year  also  he 
printed  his  poems,  entitled  "  Juvenilia ;", from  the  dedi- 
cation of  which  we  learn,  that  he  taught  at  that  time  phi- 
losophy and  civil  law. 

It  seems  to  have  been  the  year  after,  that  he  was  accused 
of  a  detestable  crime,  and  thrown  into  prison.  Shame; 
and  the  fear  of  punishment,  affected  him  so,  that  he  resolved 
to  starve  himself  to  death ;  but  he  was  deterred  from  "this 
by  his  friends,  who  laboured  to  procure  his  release,  and 
after  •  much  pains,  effected  it.  He  could  not,  however, 
continue  any  longer  at  Paris,  and  therefore  withdrew  to 
Thoulouse,  where  he  read  lectures  in  civil  law.  But  here 
he  was  exposed  to  fresh  suspicions;  and  the  accusation 
brought  against  him  at  Paris  being  renewed,  he  again  fled 
in  1554,  and  was  condemned  to  be  burned  in  effigy. 

He  npw  retired  to  Italy,  and  falling  sick  at  a  town,  in 
Lombardy,  he  applied  to  a  physician,  who,  not  under- 
standing his  case,  called  a  consultation.  As  they  did  not 
•know  Muretus,  and  fancied  him  too  ignorant  to  understand 
Latin,  they  consulted  a  long  time  in  that  language,  upon 
the  application  of  some  medicine  which  was  not  in  the 
-way  of  regular  practice;  and  agreed  at. last  to  try  it  upon 
Muretus,  saying,  "  Faciaipus  periculum  in  corpore  vili ; 
."  Let  us  make  an  experiment  upon  this  mean  subject. 
This  threat  is  said  to  have  so  far  effected  a  cure,  that  he 
paid  his  host,  and  set  forwards  on  his  journey,  as  soon  as 
they  were,  .withdrawn.     This  story  is  told  somewhat  difc 


*22  MUBETUJ 

ferently  ih  the  first  volumfc  of  the  *'  Mfenagmmft'*  He 
spent  several  years  at  Padua  and  Venice,  and  taught  the 
youth  in  those  cities.  .  Joseph  Scaliger  says  that  the  charge 
above -mentioned  wafc  renewed  at  Venice,  but  others  cau*> 
tion  us  against  Sealiger's  reports,  wb©  had  a  private  pique 
against  Muretus  on  die  following  account.  Murettts  had 
composed  for  his  amusement  some  verses  entitled^sAttius 
et  Trabeas;"  which  Scaliger  supposing  to  be  ancient^ 
cited  under  the  name  of  "  Trabeas,"  in  his  notes  upon 
"  Varro  de  Re  Rustica ;"  but,  finding  afterwards  that  he 
bad  been  imposed  on,  he  removed  then  from  the  second 
edition  of  bis  "  Varro ;"  and,  to  be  revenged  on  Muretus^ 
substituted  in  their  place  the  following  distich  against 
bun  : 

"  Qui  rigid®  flammas  evaserat  ante  Tolosae 
Muretus,  fumos  vendidit  ille  niihi." 

Muretus  was  thirty- four,  when  the  cardinal  Hippolite 
d'Est  called  him  to  Rome,  at  the  recommendation  of  the 
cardinal  Francis  de  Tournon,  and  took  him  into  his  ser- 
vice :  and  from  that  time  his  conduct  was  such  as  to  pro* 
cure  him  universal  regard.     In  1562  he  attended  bis  pal 
tron,  who  was  going  to  France  in  quality  of  a  legate  at  la- 
tere ;  but  did  not  return  with  trim  to  Rome,  being  pre* 
vailed  on  to  read  public  lectures  at  Paris  upon  Aristotle's 
"Ethics;"  which  he  did  with  singular  applause  to  1567. 
After  that,  he  taught  the  civil  law  for' four  years,'  with  a 
precision  and  elegance  not  common  with  the  lawyers  of  bis 
time.     Joseph  Scaliger  assures  us  that  he  had  taken  the 
degrees  in  this  faculty  at  Ascoli.     It  is  related  as  a  parti- 
cularity in  the  life  6f  Muretus,  that  when  he  first  began  to 
read  law  lectures  at  Thou  louse,  he  was  so  very  indifferently 
qualified  for  the  province  he  had  'undertaken,  as  to  pro;. 
Toke  the  contempt  and  ridicule  of  his  pupils,  which  be 
afterwards  changed  into  admiration,  by  a  very  consummate 
knowledge  in* his  profession.     He  spent  the  remainder  of 
bis  life  in  teaching  the  belles-lettres,  an4  explaining  the 
Latin  authors.     In  1576  he  entered  into  orders*  was  or- 
dained priest,  and  devoted  himself  with  aeal  to  all  the  ex- 
ercises of  piety.    James  Thomasius,  in  a  preface  to  some 
works  of  Muretus,  printed  at  Leipsic,  says,  that  this  learned  , 
man  was  a  Jesuit  at  the  tatter  end  of  his  life ;  but  for  this 
there  seems  to  be  no  foundation.     He  died  at  Paris,  June 
4,  1585,  aged  fifty-nine.     He  was  made  a  citizen  of  Rotne> 
<which  title  he  has  placed  at  the  head  of  some  of  his  pieces) 


'Ttf  V  R  E  T  V  ft  MS 

probably  by  pwpe  Gregory  XIIL  who  esteemed  him  very 
highly,  and  conferred  many  favours  on  him. 

His  works  were  Collected,  and  printed  in  5  vbls.  Svo^ 
At  Verona,  in  t7 2 7-^30 ;  a  selection  front  th£m  by  Che^ 
CotiUs,  in  1741 ;  but  the  best  edition  is  that  of  the  learned 
Rtfbnkentas," phWted  at  Leyden,  in  1789,  4  vols.  8vo. 
Theycondist  of  orations,  poems,  epistles,  various  readings^ 
and  translations  of  Greek  authors,  Aristotle  in  particular; 
He  composed  With  great  purity  and  elegance ;  and  he  pro- 
nounced his  orations  with  a  grace  which  charmed  bis 
hearers.  His  poems,  which  have  been  highly  applauded^ 
were,  as  already  noticed,  published  under  the  title  of 
"Juvenilia,"  at  Paris,  in  1552,  and  were  reprinted  in 
Latin  and  French,  in  1682.  He  was  the  editor  of  several 
of  the  classics,  which  he  enriched  with  notes.  All  his 
works  are  written  in  elegant  Latin,  but  they  are  now 
thought  to  be  more  creditable  to  his  judgment  than  his 
genius.  * 

MURILLIO  {Don  Bartolome  Estivan),  one  of  th* 
most  pleasing  painters  Spam  ever  produced,  was  born  at 
Pilas,  near  Seville,  in  1619,  and  became  a  disciple  of 
*  Juan  del  Castillo,  whose  favourite  subjects  were  fairs  and 
markets ;  of  which  Murillo  painted  tnany  pictures  before 
he  left  bim  to  go  to  Madrid.  There  he  studied  and  copied 
the  works  of  Titian,  Rubens,  and  Vandyke;  in  the  royal 
palaces,  and  the  houses  of  the  nobility;  and  having  very* 
Bitich  advanced  himself  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of 
his  art,  returned  to  Seville,  where  he  was  employed  to 
paint  for  most  of  the  principal  churches  ther£,  as  well  as 
at  Granada,  Cadiz,  and  Cordova.  The  style  of  Murillio 
is  his  owp.  He  copied  his  objects  from  nature,  but  com** 
bined  them  ideally ;  that  is,  his  back -grounds  are  generally 
confused  and  indistinct,  and  the  parts  very  much  blended 
together,*  with  a  loose  pencil  and  indeterminate  execu- 
tion i*  but  mdst  of  them  have  a  very  pfeasfog 'effect,  and 
pfefhaps  the' principal  objects  acquire  a  degree  of  finish 
and '  beauty  t  from"  this  very  circumstance.  An  instance 
may  be  recollected  in  his  very  pleasing  picture  of  the  gbod 
ahephefd,  an  'excellent  copy  of  which  is  at  the  marquis  of 
StaffbrdVgatffery.  But  it  was  in  small  pictures  of  familiar 
life  th&t  this  artist  most  completely  succeeded,  for  in  his 

*  Nicntm,  to).  XXVI!.— Bullart'i  Academic  dec  Science? .— -Moreri.-*-Sarm 
Onomast ;  where  are  many  references  to  authors  who  have  noticed  the  partial* 
Jars  of  Marctus'i  life. 


*24  M  U  R  I  L  L  I  O, 

large  pictures,  skilfully  wrought  as  they  are,  ht  dogs  not 
appear  to  have  penetrated  the  arcana  of  grandeur  or  style ; 
but  in'  the  amiable  and  tender  sentiments  which  are  ex- 
pressed by  the  silent  actions  of  the  human  features,  he  was 
eminently  successful.     He  died  in  1685.1  ,. 

MURPHY,  (Arthur),  a  dramatic  and  miscellaneous 
writer,  was  born  at  Clooniquin,  in  the  county  of  Roscom- 
mon, in  Ireland,  Dec.  27,  1727.  His  father,  Richard 
Murphy,  who  was  a  merchant,  perished  in  1729,  in  one  of 
bis  own  trading-vessels  for  Philadelphia,  probably  in  a  vio- 
lent storm,  but  no  intelligence  of  the  ship,  or  any  of  its 
passengers  or  crew,  ever  transpired.  From  this  time  the 
care  of  the  subject  of  the  present  article  devolved  upon  his 
mother,  who,  in  1735,  removed,  with  her  children,  to  Lon- 
don ;  but.  Arthur  was  sent,  at  the  age  of  ten,  to  the  English 
college  at  St.  Omer's,  where  he  remained  six  years ;  and 
made  very  extraordinary  proficiency  in  Greek  and  Latin,  a 
love  for  which  he  retained  all  his  life,  and  particularly  im- 
proved his  acquaintance  with  the  Latin  classics.  On  bis 
return  to  England,  in  1 744,  he  resided  with  his  mother 
till  August  1747,  when  he  was  sent  to  Cork,  to  an  uncle 
Jeffery  French,  in  whose  counting-house  he  was  employed 
till  April  1749.  After  this  his  uncle  destined  him  to  go  to 
Jamaica  tQ  overlook  a  large  estate  which  he  possessed  in 
that  island ;  but  his  inclination  was  averse  to  business  of 
every  kind,  and  he  returned  to  his  mother  in  London,  in 
1751.  Here  he  either  first  contracted,  or  began  at  least 
to  indulge,  his  predominant  passion  for  the  theatre,  although 
placed  in  the  counting-house  of  Ironside  and  Belchier, 
bankers.  In  October  1752,  he  published  the  first  number 
of  "  The  Gray  VInn  Journal,"  a  weekly  paper^.  which  he 
continued  for  two  years,  and  which  served  to  connect  him 
much  with  dramatic  performers  and  writers,  as  well  as  to 
make  him  known  to  the  public  as  a  wit  and  a  critic.  On 
the  death  of  bis  uncle,  he  was  much  disappointed  in  not 
finding  his  name  mentioned  in  his  will,  and  the  more  so  as 
be  bad  contracted  debts,  in  faith  of  a  good,  legacy,  to  the 
amount  of  three  hundred  pounds.  In  this  embarrassed  state, 
by  the  advice  of  the  celebrated  Foote,  he  went  on  the  stage, 
and  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  the  character  of  Othello. 
In  one  season,  by  the  help  of  strict  economy,  he  paid  off 

*  Cumberland's  Anecdotes  of  Spanish  Painters. — Pilkiogton.— Rett's  Cycle- 

podia.  . 


MURPHY.  S2t 

bis  debts,  and  bad  at  the  end  of  the  year  four  hundred 
pounds  in  bis  pocket.  With  this  sum  he  determined  to 
quit  the  stage,  on  which,  as  a  performer,  notwithstanding1 
the  advantages  of  a  fine  person,  and  good  judgment,  he 
made  no  very  distinguished  figure,  and  never  used  to  be 
more  offended  than  when  reminded  of  this  part  of  his 
Career: 

He  now  determined  to  study  the  law;  but  on  his  first , 
application  to  the  society  of  the  Middle-Tefnple,  he  had  the 
mortification  to  be  refused  admission,  on  the  ground  of  his 
having  acted  on  the  stage;  but  was  soon  after,  in  1757, 
received  as  a  member  of  Lincoln's-Inn.  In  this  year  he 
was  engaged  in  a  weekly  paper,  called  "The  Test,"  un- 
dertaken chiefly  in  favour  of  Mr.  Fox,  afterwards  lord  Hol- 
land, which  ceased  on  the  overthrow  of  the  administration 
to  which  his  lordship  was  attached.  This  paper  was  an- 
swered by  Owen  Ruffhead,  in  the  "Contest."  During 
his  study  of  the  law,  the  stage  was,  either  from  inclination 
or  necessity,  his  resource;  and  in  the  beginning  of  1758, 
he  produced  the  farce  of  "  The  Upholsterer,"  which  was 
very  successful ;  and  before  the  end  of  the  same  year  he 
finished  "  The  Orphan  of  China,"  which  is  founded  on  a 
dramatic  piece,  translated  from  the  Chinese  language,  iti 
Du  Halde's  "  History  of  China*"  The  muse,  as  he  says, 
"still  keeping  possession  of  him,"  he  produced,  in  1760 
the  "  Desert  Island,"  a  dramatic  poem  ;  and  his  "  Way  to 
keep  Him,"  a  comedy  of  three  acts,  afterwards  enlarged 
to  five  acts,  the  most  popular  of  all  his  dramatic  compo- 
sitions. This  was  followed  by  the  comedy  of  "  All  in  the 
Wrong,"  "  The  Citizen,"  and  "  The  Old  Maid ;"  all  of 
which  were  successful,  and  still  retain  their  rank  among 
acting-pieces.  Having  finished  his  preparatory  law- studies, 
he  was  called  to  the  bar  in  Trinity-Term,  1762.  About 
this  time,  he  engaged  again  in  political  controversy,  by 
writing  "The  Auditor,"  a  periodical  paper,  intended  to 
counteract  the  influence  of  Wilkes's  "  North- Briton ;" 
hut  in  this  he  was  peculiarly  unfortunate,  neither  pleasing 
.  the  public,  nor  deriving  much  support  from  those  on  whose 
behalf  he  wrote.  Wilkes  and  Churchill,  who  were  asso- 
ciated in  politics,  contrived  to  throw  a  degree  of  ridicule 
on  Murphy's  labours,  which  was  fatal.  Murphy  appearing 
to  his  antagonists  to  meddle  with  subjects  which  he  did 
not  understand,  they  laid  a  trap  to  make  him  discover 
his  want  of  geographical  knowledge,  by  sending  him  a  let* 


«*  u  u  n  P  H  T. 

ter  sighed  "  Viator,"  boasting  of  the  Vast  acquisition,  by 
lord  Bute's   treaty  of  peace,  of  Florida  to  this  country* 
and  representing  that  country  as  peculiarly  rich  in  fuel  fat 
domestic  uses,    &c.     This  Arthur  accordingly  inserted* 
with  a  remark  that  "  he.  gave  it  exactly  as  he  received  it* 
in  order  to  throw  all  the  lights  ia  hi*  power  upon?  the  solid 
value  of  the  advantages  procured  by  the  late  negociation.'* 
Wilkes  immediately  reprinted  thi*  tetter  in  his  "North 
Britain ;"  and  the  /'  Auditor"  found  it  impossible  to  bear  up 
against  tbe  satires  levelled  at  him  from  all  quartan- 
.    In  the  summer  of  1763,   Mr.  Murphy  went  his  first} 
the  Norfolk;  circuit ;  but  with  little  success ;  and  afterwards 
appeared  occasionally  as  a  pleader  in  Loudon.     TheMuse^ 
however,  he  confesses*  "  still  had  hold  of  him,  and  occa- 
sionally stole  him  away  from  '  Coke  upon  Littleton.1"  In 
his  law  pursuit-he.  continued  till  1787,  wheto,  to  his  great 
astonishment,  a  junior  to  him  on  the  Norfolk  circuit  wasap* 
pointed  king's  counsel     Disappointed, at  this,  he  sold  hU 
chambers  in  Lincola's-Ino,  in  July?  1788, > and  retired. al- 
together from  the  bar.    The,  intermediate  time,  however, 
bad  been  filled,  up  by  the  production  of  bis. "  Three  Weeks 
after  Marriage,"  ."  Zenobia,"  P  The  Grecian  Daughter," 
and  other  dramatic  pieces,  generally  acted  with  great  ap- 
plause, and  which  are  yet  on  the  stock  list.   -  After  he  re- 
tired from  the  bar  he  bought  a  bouse  at  Hammersmith, 
and  there  prepared  various  publications  for  the  press,  among 
which,  in  1786,  was  an  edition  of  his  works  collectively* 
in  seven  volumes,  octavo.     In  1792,  he  appeared  as  one 
of  the  biographers  of  Dr.  Johnson,  in  "  An  Esday  on  his 
Life  and  Genius ;"  but  this  was  a  very  careless  sketch,  co- 
pied almost  verbatim  from  the  account  of  sir  John  Haw* 
kins' s  Life  of  Johnson,  in  the  Monthly  Review.     Ip.  the 
following  year  he  published  a  translation  of  Tacitus,  in  floor 
volumes,  quarto*  dedicated  to  the  late  Edmund  Burke.  To 
this  work,  which   is  executed  in  a  masterly  manner,  he 
added  "  An  Essay  on  the  Life  and  Genius  of  Tacitus;" 
with  historical  supplements  and  frequent  annotations  and 
comments.  Mr.  Murphy  continued  to  write  t<%  an  advanced 
age,  and  in  1798  he  published  bis  "  Armroiiis*" -intended 
to  justify  the  war  then  carried  on  against,  the  ambitioii  of 
France,  and  which,  with  the  majosity  of  the  nation,  be  con- 
sidered as  both  .just  and  necessary.     Through  his  interest 
with  lord  Loughborough,  he  obtained  the  office  of  one  ot 
the  commissioners  of  bankrupts,  to  whicji,  during  the  last 


HU1FBT.  527 

three  years  of  his  life,  was  added  a  pension  of  twb  hundred 
pottfids  a  year.  In  bis  latter  days,  after  be  bad  published 
a  *'  Life  of  Garrick,"  a  very  sensible  decay  of  mental 
powers  became  visible.  He  continued,  however,  to  be  oc- 
casionally cheered  and  assisted  by  a  few  friends,  until  his 
death,  at  bis  lodgings  at  Knightsbridge,  June  18,  1805% 
From  his  biographer's  account  it  appears  he  had  perfectly 
reconciled  his  mind  to  the  stroke  of  death  :  when  he  had 
Jhade  his  will,  and  given  plain,  and  accurate  directions  re- 
specting his  funeral,  he  said,  "  I  have  been  preparing  for 
my  journey  to  another  region,  and  now  do  not  care  how 
*>on  I  take  my  departure.1'  On  the  day  of  his  death  he 
frequently  repeated  the  lines  of  Pope : 

•  *'  T*aught,  half  by  reason,  half  by  mere  decay, 
To  welcome  death  and  calmly  pass  away." 

:  Besides  the  works  already  mentioned  and  alluded  to,  Mr. 
Murphy  was  author  of  a  translation  of  Sallust,  which  has 
Appeared  as  a  posthumous  work. 

^  Mr.  Murphy,  in  his  better  days,  was  a  man  of  elegant 
manners,  and  of  a  well-informed  mind,  rich  also  in  anec- 
dotes of  the  literature  of  his  period,  which  he  related  with 
great  humour  and  accuracy,  and  there  was  a  time  when 
the  company  of  few  men  was  more  courted,  or  was  in  itself 
more  entertaining.  As  a  dramatic  writer  he  may  be 
deerped  both  fortunate  and  unfortunate  ;  fortunate  as  he 
established  a  very  high  character,  and  produced  more  stock* 
pieces  than  any  man  of.  his  time ;  and  unfortunate,  as  the 
stage  detached  him  from  a  profession  by  which  he  might 
have  attained  ease  and  independence.  The  consciousness 
of  this  had  visible  effects  on  his  temper  in  his  last  years.  It 
was  a  painful  recollection  that  he  had  lived  to  see  the  com- 

E anions  and  familiar  friends  of  his  youth  advanced  to  the 
ighest  ranks  in  the  state,   while  he  was  left  to  derive  a 
scanty  support  from  talents  now  in  their  decay.1 

MURRAY  (James),  a  clergyman  of  Scotland,  was  born 
at  Dunkeld  in  'that  country,  in  1702,  and  educated  in  the 
Marishal  ^college,  Aberdeen,1  where  'he  took  his  degrees, 
and  was  licensed  as  a  probationer  in  the  ministry.  Being 
of  a  romantic  turn  of  mind,  although  an  excellent  classical 
scholar,  he  refused  a  living  in  Scotland,  and  came  to  Lon- 
doh,<(wbere,  it  is  said,  but  we  know  not  upon  what  author 
fity*  he  was  niadg  choice  of  as  an  assistant-preacher  to  the 

'  boot's  Life  of  Murphy.~Biog.  Dram. 


928  MURRAL 

congregation  in  Swallow-street,  Westminster.  But  hisr 
pulpit-oratory  did  not  acquire  him  popularity,  and  his  sen- 
timents were  rather  disgustful  to  his  hearers.  This  in- 
duced him  to  solicit  the  protection  of  James  late  duke  of 
Athol,  who  took  him  into  his  family,  where  he  wrote  & 
work,  entitled  "  Aletheia,  or  a  System  of  Moral  Truths," 
which  has  been  published  in  the  form  of  letters,  in  2  vols.* 
12mo.     He  died  in  London  in  1758,  aged  fifty -five.1 

MURRAY  (William,  earl  of  Mansfield),  an  eminent 
English  lawyer,  was  fourth  son  of  David,  earl  of  Stormont, 
and  was  born  March  2,  1705,  at  Perth,  in  Scotland.  He 
was  brought  to  England  at  the  age  of  three  years,  for  his 
education,  which  accounts  for  his  always  being  free  -from, 
the  accent  so  peculiar  in  the  natives  of  that  country.  He 
was  educated  at  Westminster- school,  being  admitted  a 
king's  scholar  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years.  During  the 
time  of  his  being  at  school,  he  afforded  proofs  of  his  ability, 
not  so  much  in  poetry,  as  in  declamation,  and  other  exer- 
cises, which  gave  promise  of  the  eloquence  that  grew  up 
to  such  perfection  when  at  the  bar,  and  in  parliament.  At 
the  election  in  May  1723,  he  stood  first  on  the  list  of  those 
sqholars  who  were  to  go  to  Oxford,  and  was  entered  of 
Christ  church  June  18  of  that  year,  where  in  1727,  he  ap- 
pears to  have  taken  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts  ;  and,  on 
the  death  of  king  George  I.  he  was  amongst  those  who 
contributed  their  poetical  compositions,  in  Latin,  on  that 
event. 

On  June  26,  1730,  he  took  the  degree  of  master  of  arts, 
and  soon  after  made  a  tour  on  the  continent.  On  his  re- 
turn,' be  became  a  member  of  Lincoln's-inn ;  and,  in  due 
time,  was  called  to  the  bar.  Mr.  Murray  is  among  those 
rare  instances  of  persons  who  very  early  attained  to  repu- 
tation and  practice  in  the  profession.  His  talent  was  for 
public  speaking,  which  gave  him  a  superiority  that  enabled 
him  to  rival  and  excel  those  who  were  far  beyond  him  in 
knowledge  and  experience.  A  reputation  early  attained 
gives  a  character  which  it  is  very  difficult  for  time  to 
change  or  eradicate.  Mr.  Murray's  premature  success 
created  an  early  impression  that  he  was  more  of  a  speaker 
than  a  lawyer ;  and,  while  he  was  readily  acknowledged  to 
excel  both  old  and  young,  in  the, one  qualification,  the 
world  were  long  unwilling  to  allow  him  an  ascendancy  in 

*  Preceding  edition  of  this  Diet.— ^Wilson's  Hist,  of  Dissenting  Churches. 


IUBEA1  esd 

the  other.  His  attachment  to  the  bellefc  lettnes,  and  so- 
ciety with  Mr.  Pope  and  other  wits  of  bis  time,  gave  conn-* 
tenance  to  the  idea,  that  little  time  was  left  for  Cokf, 
Plowden,  and  the  Year-books.  But  time  amd  experience,' 
as  tbey  improved  Mr.  Murray,  gradually  convinced,  the 
world,  that  his  mind  was  equally  made  for  jurisprudence 
or  oratory. 

We  find  him  employed,  so  early  as  1736,  as  an  advocate 
against. the  bill  of  pains  and  penalties,  which  afterwards 
passed  into  a  law,  against  the  lprd-provest  and  city  of 
Edinburgh,  for  the  riotous  murder  of  captain  Porteus.  On 
Nov.  20,  1738,  be  married  lady  Elizabeth  Finch,  daughter 
of  the  earl  of  Winchelsea ;  and,  in  November  1 742,  he  wad 
appointed  solicitor-general  in  the  room  of  sir  John  Strange, 
who  resigned.  He  was  also  chosen  representative  of  the 
town  of  Boroiaghhridge ;  and  was  afterwards  returned  for 
the  same  place  in  1747  and  1754.  In  March  1746,  he 
was  appointed  one  of  the  managers  for  the  impeachment  of 
lord  Lov*t  by  the  House  of  Commons.  It  was  his  part  to 
observe  upon  the  evidence  in  reply  to  the  prisoner;  in  this 
be  displayed  so  much  candour, .  at  well  as  so  much  ability, 
that  he  was  complimented  by  the  prisoner  no  less  than  by 
the  lord-chancellor  Talbot,  who  presided  at  the  trial. 

In  1753,  a  most  injurious  attack  was  made  upon  Mr, 
Murray's  character  on  the  following  occasion  :  It  had  been 
said,  that  Dr.  Johnson,  a  person  then  thought  of  for  con- 
siderable preferment,  and  afterwards  bishop  of  Worcester, 
a  very  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Murray,  was  of  Jacobitical 
principles,  and  had  even  drank  the  pretender's  health  in  a 
company  near  twenty  years  before.  This  story  was  thought 
of  sufficient  importance  to  induce  Mr.  Pelham*  then  minis- 
ter, to  write  down  to  Newcastle  to  Mr.  Fatfcett,  the  re- 
corder, who  was  the  author  of  the  story,  to  learn  the  truth. 
Mr.  Fawcett  answered  this  inquiry  in  an  evasive  manner ; 
but,  in  a  subsequent  conversation  with  lord  Raven 6 worth, 
added,  that  Mr.  Murray  and  Mr.  Stone  had  done  the  same 
several  times.  Lord  Ravensworth  thought,  that,  Mr.  Stone 
holding  an  office  about  the  prince,  such  a  suggestion  as  to 
his  loyalty  and  principles  ought  not  to  be  slighted ;  and  he 
made  it  so  much  a  matter  of  conversation*  that  the  ministry* 
advised  the  king  to  have  the  whole  information  examined ; 
aftd  a  proceeding  was  bad  in  the  council,  and  afterwards  in 
the  House  of  Lords,  for  that  purpose.  When  Mr.  Murray 
heard  of  the  committee  being  appointed  to  examine  this* 

Vol.  XXII.  M  m 


V. 


*3p  MURRAY. 

idle  affair,  he  sent  a  message  to  the  king,  humbly  to  ac- 
quaint bill],  that,  if  he  should  be  called  before  such  a  tri-t 
bunal  on  so  scandalous  and  injurious  account,  he  would  re- 
sign his  office,  and  woultf  refuse  to  answer.  It  came,  how- 
ever, before  the  House  of  Lords,  on  the  motion  of  the 
duke  of  Bedford,  on  Jan.  22,  1753,  who  divided  the  house 
upon  it,  but, the  house  was  not  told;  and  thus  ended  a 
transaction,  which,  according  to  lord  Melcombe,  was  "  the 
worst  judged,  the  worst  executed,  and  the  worst  supported 
point,  he  ever  saw  of  such  expectation."    ' 

On  the  advancement  of  sir  Dudley  Ryder  to  be  chief 
justice  of  the  king's  bench  in  1754,  Mr.  Murray  succeeded 
him  as  attorney -general,  and,  on  his  death  in  Nov.  1756, 
be  succeeded  him  as  chief  justice  of  the  King's  Bench.  On 
his  leaving  Lincoln's-inn,  Mr.  Yorke,  son  of  the  lord  chan- 
cellor, made  him  a  compliment  of  regret,  in  an  elegant* 
speech,  which  was  answered  by  Mr.  Murray,  in  one  which 
abounds  with  panegyric  on  Mr.  Yorke's  father,  the  then 
chancellor,  whose  merit  he  extols  before  those  of  Bacon, 
Clarendon,  and  Somen.  He  was  sworn  into  his  office  on 
November  8,  and  took  his  seat  on  the  bench  Nov.  II.  The 
motto  on  his  Serjeant's  rings  was  "  Servate  Domum."  He 
was  immediately  after  created  baron  of  Mansfield,  to  him, 
and  jthe  heirs-male  of  his  body. 

From  the  first  of  his  coming  upon  the  bench  of  that 
court,  he  set  himself  to  introduce  regularity,  punctuality, 
and  dispatch  in  business.  On  the  fourth  day  after  his  ap- 
pointment, he  laid  it  down,  that,  where  the  court  bad  no 
doubt,  they  ought  not  to  put  the  parties  to  the  delay  and 
expence  of  a  farther  argument.  Such  was  the  general 
satisfaction  during  the  time  he  presided  there,  that  the, 
business  of  the  court  increased  in  a  way  never  before 
known,  and  yet  was  dispatched  as  had  never  before  been 
seen,  whether  in  bank,  or  at  nisi  prius.  "  At  the  sitting 
for  London  and  Middlesex,"  says  sir  James  Burrow,  in 
the  preface  to  his  Reports,  "  there  are  not  so  few  as  eight 
hundred  causes  set  down  in  a  year,  and  all  disposed  of." 
Respecting  the  business  in  bank,  he  says,  "  notwithstand- 
ing the  immensity  of  business,  it  is  notorious,  that,  in 
consequence  of  method,  and  a  very  few  rules,  which  have 
keen  laid  down  to  prevent  delay  (even  where  the  parties 
tbe*|jfelves  would  willingly  consent  to  it),  nothing  now 
bangs  in  court*  Upon  the  last  day  of  the  yery  last  term, 
if  we  exclude  such  motiops  of  the  term  as  by  the  desire  of 


HURR  AY.  «1 

the  parties  went  over  of  course,  as  peremptory,  there 
was  not  a  single  matter  of  any  kind  that  remained  unde-  . 
termined,  excepting  one  case  relating  to  the  proprietary 
lordship  of  Maryland,  which  was  professedly  postponed  on 
account  of  the  present  situation  of  America.     One- might 
speak  to  the  same  effect  concerning  the  last,  day  of  any 
former  term  for  some  years  backward."     The  same  re- 
porter says,  that,  except  in  the  case  of  Perrin  and  Blake, 
and  the  case  of  Literary  Property,  there  had  not  been,, 
from  Nov.  6,  1756,  to  May  26,  1776,  a  final  difference  of- 
opinion  in  the  court  in  any  case,  or  upon  any  point  what- 
soever; and   it  is  remarkable  too,  that,  excepting  these' 
two  cases,  no  judgment  given  during  the  same  period  had' 
been  reversed,  either  in  the  exchequer  chamber,  or  par- 
liament ;  apd  even  these  two  reversals  were  with  great  dif- 
ference of  opinion  among  the  judges. 

During  the  unsettled  state  of  the  ministry  in  1757,  lord1 
Mansfield  accepted,  on  April  9,  the  office  of  chancellor  of 
the  exchequer.  At  this  juncture  he  was  the  means  of 
effecting  a  coalition  of  parties,  which  formed  an  admiriistra- 
tion  that  carried  to  a  high  point  of  splendour  the  glory  of 
the  British  arms.  In  the  same  year,  on  the  retirement  of 
lord  Hardwicke,  he  was  offered  the  great  seal,  which  he 
refused.  • 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present  reign,  this  noble 
lord  was  marked  as  an  object  of  party  rancour;  and  he 
continued  exposed  to  the  most  malicious  slander  and  invec- 
tive for  many  years ;  but  this  made  no  interruption  in  the 
sedulous  attention  he  ever  paid  to  the  duties  of  his  office. 
For  one  short  period  of  his  life,  be  shewed  himself  in  op- 
position to  the  government.  During  the  administration  of 
lord  Rockingham,  in  1765,  he.  opposed  the  bill  for  repeal- 
ing the  stamp-act,  and  is  supposed  to  have  had  some  share 
in  the  composition  of  the  protests  on  that  occasion,  though  < 
he  did  not  sigp  them. 

The  affair  of  Mr.  Wilkes's  outlawry  was  the  next  thing 
which  brought  upon  this  noble  person  the  malicious  attacks 
of  party  and  faction.  Whether  this  outlawry  should  be 
reversed  Or  not,  was  a  dry  question  of  law,  upon  the  word- 
ing of  the  record,  and  nothing  could  be  more  remote  from 
considerations  of  expediency,  and  reasons  of  political  mo- 
ment ;  it  was  a  matter  wholly  clerical,  and  better  under- 
stood by  the  subordinate  officers  of  the  court  than  by  most 
on  the  bench.    But  this  point  of  special  pleading  was  made 

mm  2 


4S*  H;U  R  R  AY. 

an  object  of  much  popular  expectation ;  and,  on  the  day 
judgment  was  to  be  given,  not  only  the  court,  but  the 
whole  of  Westminster-hall,  and  Palace-yard,  were  crowded 
with  anxious  spectators.  The  court  had  made  up  their 
minds  to  reverse  the  outlawry,  so  that  Mr.  Wilkes  was  let 
in  to  receive  judgment  on  the  conviction.  Upon  this  occa- 
sion lord  Mansfield  took  notice  of  the  unusual  appearance 
qf  popular  heat  that  had  been  discovered  and  directed 
agaipst  the  judges  of  that  court,  and*  more  especially, 
against  himself,  with  a  manliness  that  will  $ver  do  honour 
to  hi*  character.  He  declared  his  contempt  of  all  the 
threats  that  had  been  used  to  intimidate  the  court  from 
doing  its  duty.  He  said  that  such  attempts  could  have  no 
effect  but  that  which  would  be  contrary  to  their  intent ; 
leaning  against  their  impression  might  give  a  bias  the  other 
way;  but  he  hoped,  and  knew,  that  he  had  fortitude 
enough  to  resist  even  that  weakness.  "  No  libels,  no 
threats,  nothing  that  has  happened,  nothing  that  can  hap- 
pen, will  weigh  a  feather  against  allowing  the  defendant, 
upon  this  and  every  .other  question,  not  only  the  whole  ad- 
vantage he  is  entitled  to  from  substantial  law  and  justice, 
but  every  benefit  from  the  most  critical  nicety  of  form, 
which  any  other  defendant  could  claim  under  the  like  ob- 
jection. The  only  effect  I  feel,"  says  he,  "  is  an  anxiety 
to  be  able  to  explain  the  grounds  upon  which  we  proceed, 
so  as  to  satisfy  all  mankind,  that  a  flaw  of  form  given  way 
to,  in  this  case,  could  not  have  been  got  over  in  any  other." 
It  was  upon  this  occasion  that  he  delivered  the  following 
striking  sentiment :  "  1  honour  the  king,  and  respect  the 
people  ;  but  many  things  acquired  by  the  favour  of  either, 
are,  in  my  account,,  objects  not  worth  ambition.  I  wish 
popularity;  but  it  is  that  popularity  which, follows,  not  that 
which  is  run  after." 

.  In  Jan.  1770  he  was  offered  the  great  seal,  which  he 
declined  ;  and  it  was  put  into  commission  again.  In  Hi- 
lary term,  1771,  he  declined  the  same  offer,  and  it  was 
delivered  to  Mr.  Justice  Bathurst.  Id  177Q  an  attack  was 
made  on  this  noble  judicial  character,  both  in  the  House 
ef  Lords  and  Commons.  His  direction  to  the  jury,  in  the 
ease  of  Woodfall,  the  printer,  who  was  prosecuted  for  a 
libel,  was  called  in  question ;  but  his  lordship's  opinion, 
and  that  of  the  whole  court,  stood  its  ground.  On  Oct. 
19,  1776,  he  was  made  an  earl  of  Great  Britain,  by  the 
title  of  earl  of  Mansfield,  to  him  and  bis  iwue  mate ;  with 


MURRAY.  *3$ 

■ 

remainder  to  Louisa  viscountess  Stormont,  and  to  her 
heirs-mate  by  David  viscount  Stormont)  her  husband. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1780,  when  the  metropolis  of  the 
kingdom  was  exposed,  for  several  days,  to  the  depreda* 
tions  of  a  banditti,  thfit  took  advantage  of  the  tumultuous 
assemblies  brought  together  by  the  protectant  association, 
)ord  Mansfield  was  made  an  object  of  popular  fury,  and  bis 
bonne  in  Bloomsbury*square,  with  every  thing  ih  it,  was 
burnt*  This  attack  was  so  unexpected,  that  no  preparation 
was  made  against  it;  and  he  escaped  only  with  his  lifei 
This  was  on  Tuesday  night,  June  7;  and  he  did  net  appear 
hi  eowt  till  June  14,  the  last  day  of  term.  When  he  took 
his  seat,  Mr.  Douglas  informs  us,  in  his  Reports,  "the  revet 
fential  silence  that  was  observed  was  expressive  of  sentU 
fttehts  of  condolence  and  respect  more  affecting  than  the 
most  eloquent  address  the  occasion  could  have  suggested.'* 
His  lordship  was  entitled,  amongst  others,  to  recover  the 
amount  of  his  loss  against  the  hundred.  There  -was  also  a 
vote  of  the  House  of  Commons,  in  consequence  of  which 
the  treasury  directed  the  surveyor  of  the  board  of  works  to 
apply  to  lord  Mansfield,  as  one  of  the  principal  sufferers* 
requesting  him  to  state  the  nature  and  amount  of  his  iossi 
but  he  declined  this  offer  of  compensation.  '*  It  does  nof 
become  me,"  says  he,  in  his  answer  to  the  suryeyor* 
general,  "  however  great  the  loss  may  be,  to  claim  or  ex- 
pect reparation  from  the  state-" 

From  this  time,  it  seemed,  as  if  popular  odium  had  spent 
ks  Airy,  and  had  no  longer  any  tnalice  to  direct  against 
this  noble  person.  Party  rage  seemed  to  be  softened  by 
this  last  act  of  mischief ;  and,  during  the  remainder  of  his 
days,  lord  Mansfield  seemed  to  unite  all  parties  in  one 
uniform  sentiment  of  approbation  and  reverence  for  a  tried 
and  ancient  servant  of  'the  public.  The  increase  of  years 
did  not  bring  on  such  infirmities  as  to  disable  him  from'  dis* 
charging  the  duties  of  his  station  till  about  1787 :  these* 
at  length,  bore  so  much  upon  him  that  he  came  to  the 
resolution  to  resigrt  his  office,  which  he  did  in  the  month 
of  June,  1788.  Upon  that  occasion  the  gentlemen  who 
practised  at  the  bar  of  the  court  where  he  had  so  long  pre* 
sided,  addressed  to  his  lordship  a  letter,  in  which  they  la* 
hiented  their  loss,  but  remembered,  with  peculiar  satis* 
faction,  that  his  lordship  was  not  ciit  off  from  -them  by  the 
ftudden  stroke  of  painful  distemper,  of  the  more  distressing 
ebb  of  those  extraordinary  faculties  which  had  so  long  djs* 


S3*  MURRAY. 

•  \ 

tinguished  him  among  men  ;  but,  that  it  had  pleased  God  to 
allow  to  the  evening  of  a  useful  and  illustrious  life  the 
purest  enjoyment  that  nature  had  ever  allotted  to  it.  The 
unclouded  reflections  of  a  superior  and  unfading  mind  over 
its  varied  events,  and  the  happy  consciousness  that  it  had 
been  faithfully  and  eminently  devoted  to  the  highest  duties 
of  human  society,  in  the  most  distinguished  nation  upoii 
earth.  They  expressed'  a  wish  that  the  season  of  this  high 
satisfaction  might  bear  its  proportion  to  the  lengthened 
day  s  of  his  activity  and  strength.  This  letter  had  many 
signatures,  and  was,  at  the  desire  of  Mr.  Bearcroft,  the 
senior  counsel  in  that  court,  transmitted  to  the  venerable 
peer.by  Mr.  (now  lord)  Erskine.  Lord  Mansfield  instantly 
returned  an  answer,  in  which  he  said,  that,  if  he  had  given 
any  satisfaction,  it  was  owing  to  .the  learning  and  candour 
Of  the  bar;  the  liberality  and  integrity  of  their  practice 
freed  the  judicial  investigation  of  truth  and  justice  from 
difficulties.  The  memory  of  the  assistance  he  had  received 
from  them,  and  the  deep  impression  which  the  extraor- 
dinary mark  they  had  now  given  him  of  their  approbation 
and  affection,  had  made  upon  his  mind,  would  be  a  source, 
of  perpetual  consolation  in  bis  decline  of  life,  under  the 
pressure  of  bodily  infirmities,  which  made  it  his  duty  to 
retire. 

Hi*  health  continued  to  decline;  but  his  mental  fa- 
culties remained  to  the  last  very  little  impaired ;  he  was 
glad  to  receive  visitors,  and  talk  upon  the  events  of  the 
time.  Of  the  French  revolution  he  is  reported  to  have 
said,  that  it  was  an  extraordinary  event ;  and,  as  it  was 
without  example,  so  it  was  without  a  prognostic  ;  no  con- 
jectures could  be  formed  of  its  consequences.  He  Jived 
to  March  20,  1793,  and  departed  this  life  in  the  eighty- 
ninth  year  of  bis  ag$. ,  He  left  no  children  ;  and  the  earl- 
dom, which  was  granted  again  by  a  new  patent,  in  4792, 
descended  on  his  nephew,  lord  Stormont,  together  with 
bis  immense  fortune.  His  will  was  dated  April  17,  1782; 
it  was  written  in  his  own  hand,  upon  little  more  than  a 
half  sheet. of  paper.  It  begins  thus:  "When  it  shall 
please  Almighty  God  to  call  me  to  that  state,  to  which,  of 
all  I  now  enjoy,  I  can  carry  only  the  satisfaction  of  my 
own  conscience,  and  a  full  reliance  on  his  mercy,  through 
Jesus  Christ:  I  desire  that  my  body  may  be  interred  as 
privately  as  may  be ;  and,  out  of  respect  for  the  place  of 
my  early  education,  I  should  wish  it  to  be  in  Westminster* 


MURRAY.  535 

« 

.abbey/9  He  was  buried,  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn-* 
ing  of  March  28,  in  the  same  vault  with  his  countess,  who 
died  April  10,  1784,  in  Westminster-abbey,  between  the 
late  earl  of  Chatham  and  Jord  Robert  Manners. 
\  A  life  of  this  eminent  lawyer  is  still  a  desideratum,  but 
with  the  lapse  of  time,  the  means  of  procuring '  materials 
are  placed  farther  and  farther  beyond  the  reach  of  modem 
inquiry.  Mr.  Holliday,  in  his  lately  published  "  Life,"  has 
done  much,  perhaps  as  much  as  can  be  done;  but  curiosity 
requires  a  knowledge  of  lord  Mansfield  in  the  more  early 
and  brilliant  periods  of  his  career,  and  that,  perhaps,  it 
may  be  impossible  now  to  acquire.  We  shall,  however, 
conclude  our  article  with  Dr.  Hurd's  well-drawn  statement 
of  a  part  of  his  character,  which  first  appeared  in  that 
prelate's  preface  to  Warburton's  works. 
t  "  Mr.  Murray, .afterwards  earl  of  Mansfield,  and  lord 
chief  justice  of  England,  was  so  extraordinary  a  person, 
and  made  so  great  a  figure  in  the  world,  that  his  name 
must  go  down  to  posterity  with  distinguished  honour  in  the 
public  records  of  the  nation  ;  for,  his  shining  talents  dis- 
played themselves  in  every  department  of  the  state  as  well 
as  in  the  supreme  court  of  justice,  his  peculiar  province, 
which  he  filled  with  a  lustre  of  reputation,  not  equalled 
perhaps,  certainly  not  exceeded,  by  any  of  his  predecessors. 
. .  "  Of  bis  conduct  in  the  House  of  Lords  I  can  speak  with 
the  more  confidence,  because  I  speak  from  my  own  obser- 
vation. Too  good  to  be  the  4eader,  and  too  able  to  be  the 
dupe  of  any  party,  he  vvas  believed  to  speak  his  own  sense 
of  public  measures;  and  the  authority  of  his  judgment  was 
so  high,  that,  in  regular  limes,  the  house  was  usually  de- 
cided by  it.  He  was  np  forward  or  frequent  speaker,  but 
reserved  himself,  as  was  fit,  for  occasions  worthy  of  him. 
In  debate  he  was  eloquent  as  well  as  wise,  or  rather  he 
becarie  eloquent  by  his  wisdom.  His  countenance  and 
tone  of  voice  imprinted  the  ideas  of  penetration,  probity, 
and  candour ;  but  what  secure^  your  attention  and  assent 
tp  all  he  said  was  his  constant  good  sense,  flowing  in  apt 
terms,  and  in  the.  clearest  method.  He  affected  no  sallies 
of  the  imagination,  or  bursts  of  passion  ;  much  less  would 
he  condescend  to  personal  abuse,  or  to  petulant  altercation* 
All  was  clear  candid  reason,  letting  itself  so  easily  into  thp 
minds  of  his  hearers  as  to  carry  information  and  conviction 
with  it.  In  a  word,  his  public  senatorial  character  very 
much  resembled  that  of  Messala,  of  whom  Cicero  says, 


536  MURRAY. 

addressing  himself  to  Brutus,  '  Do  not  imagine,  'Brutin* 
that  for  worth,  honour,  and  a  warm  love  of  Ma  country* 
any  one  is  comparable  to  Messala ;'  so  that  his  eloquence* 
in  which  he' wonderfully  excels,  is  almost  eclipsed  by  those 
.  virtues :  and  even  in  his  display  of  that  facility  his  superior 

food  sense  shews  kself  most;  with  so  much  care  and  skill 
ath  he  formed  himself  to  the  truest  manner  of  speaking  I 
His  powers  of  genius  and  invention  are  confessedly,  of  the 
first  size,  yet  he  almost  owes  less  to  them,  than  tbedili«» 
gent  and  studious  cultivation  of  judgment 

"  In  the  commerce  of  a  private  life  lord  Mansfield  was 
easy,  friendly,  and  very  entertaining,  extremely  sensible 
of  worth  in  other  men,  and  ready  on  all  occasions  to  coun-* 
tenance  and  patronize  it"  l 

MUSA  (Antonius),  an  eminent  physician  at  Rome,  ac? 
quired  such  reputation  as  to  be  appointed  physician  to  the 
emperor  Augustus,  about  21  B.  C.  He  is  said  to  have 
been  the  first  who  prescribed  the  use  of  the  cold  bath  * 
but  whatever  may  be  in  this,  be  advised  cold  bathing  and 
a  cool  regimen  in  the  case  of  his  imperial  master,  which 
effected  the  cure  of  many  disorders  with  which  Augustus! 
had  been  previously  afflicted,  and  made  him  a  great  fa- 
vourite both  with  the  emperor  and  the  people*  Little  is' 
known  of  his  history  besides,  and  none  of  his  writings  have, 
descended  to  posterity.  The  tract,  printed  among  others 
on  the  materia  medica  at  Basil  in  1523  and  1549,  "  Libel- 
lus  de  Botanica,"  and  attributed  to  Musa,  is  thought  tor 
have  been  the  production  of  a  later  pen.  Bishop  Atter- 
bury,  in  a  better  to  Dr.  Freind,  endeavours  to  prove  that* 
the  lapis  mentioned  by  Virgil  (Eneid  XII.  391)  was  our- 
Musa;  but  Dr.  Templeman  and  others  have  differed  from* 
him  in  this  opinion,  for  reasons  which  cannot  easily  be  re- 
jected.8 • 

MUSiEUS,  celebrated  by  ancient  writers  as  a  philoso- 
pher, astronomer,  and  poet,  was,  according  to  Plato  and 
Diodorus  Siculus,  an  Athenian,  the  son  of  Orpheus,  and 
chief  of  the  Eleusinian  mysteries*  instituted  at  Athens  ift 
honour  of  Ceres ;  or,  according  to  others,  he  was  only  the* 
disciple  of  Orpheus.  He  is  allowed  to  have  been  one  of' 
•  the  first  poets  who  versified  the  oracles.     He  is  placed  in 

1  Preceding  edition  of  this  Dictionary.— Holliday's  Life. — Annual  Register,, 
a»d  Gent.  Mag,  v«ee  Indexes,*  &c.  &c. 

*  Et«y,  Diet.  Hist  de  Medicine  in  art  Antonius  Mute.J-Atterbury's  Cor* 
regpon/dence,  vol.  IL— Saxii  Onomasticon, 


.   m  iff  s  m.VB.  '  :»xt 

the  Aruhdeliari  marbles,  Ep6ch  15,  1426  B.C.  otifebtah 
time. bis  hymns  are  there  said  to  bare  been  received  in  the 
celebration  of  the  Eleastniaa  mysteries.  Laerttus  tell*  «*, 
that  Muneus  not  only  composed  a  theogony,  baft  formed 
the  first  sphere ;  but  be  was  probably  misled  by  the  title  of 
a  poem  said  to  hare  been  written  by  Mussbus,  "  de  Spbe&ra.V 
The  doctrine  which  he  taught  was,  that  aH.  things  are  pro* 
duced  from  one,  and  shall  be  resolved  into  the  same;  an 
Orphic  doctrine,  which  is  the  first  principle  of  the  system 
of  emanation,  and  the  foundation  of  alL  the  ancient  tbeo*- 
gonies.  He  is  celebrated  by  Virgil  in  the  character  of 
Hierophant,  or  priest  of  Ceres,  among  the  most  illustrious 
mortals  who  have  merited  a  place  in  Elysium,  and  is  made 
the  conductor  of  jEneas  to  the  recess,  where  he  meets  the 
shade  of  his  father  Anchises. 

A  hill  near  the  citadel  of  Athens  was  called  Musreum, 
according  to  Pausanias,  from  Musaeus,  who  used  to  retire 
thither  to  meditate,  and  compose  his  religious  hymns,  and 
at  which  place  be  was  afterwards  buried.  The  works 
which  went  under  his  name,  like  those  of  Orpheus,  werfe 
by  many  attributed  to  Onomacritus*  Nothing  remains  of 
this  poet  now,  nor  were  any  of  his  writings  extant  in  the 
time  of  Pausanias,  except  a  hymn  to  Ceres,  which  he 
jnade  for  the Lycomedes.—  There  is  another  Musaus,  called 
the  grammarian,  author  of  a  Greek  poem  on  "  The  Loves 
of  Hero  and  Leander."  He  is  supposed  to  have  lived  as 
late  as  the  fourth  century,  since  he  is  not  referred  to  by 
any  of  the  older  scholiasts,  and  some  of  his  verses  appear 
borrowed  from  the  Dionysiacs  of  Nonnius.  Nothing  is 
known  of  him  personally,  yet  his  work  is  in  a  pure  and 
elegant  style,  with  much  delicacy  of  sentiment.  It  has 
been  frequently  reprinted,  both  in  collections  and  sepa* 
rately,  and  has  been  translated  into  various  languages. l 

MUSCULUS#  (Wolfgang),  a  celebrated  German  di* 
vine  and  reformer,  was  the  son  of  a  cooper,  and  born  at 
Dieuze,  upon  Lorrain  Sept.  8,  1497.  His  father  being 
unable  to  furnish  him  with  education,  Musculus  was  obliged 
to  provide  for  his  own  subsistence,  as  was  the  case  with 
poor  scholars  at  that  time,  by  singing  from  door  to  door ; 
ftnd  his  talents  having  attracted  the  notice  of  a  convent  of 
Benedictines,  they  offered  him  the  habit  of  their  order, 

■  • 

1  Vofeiui. — Bruoker.— Barney '•  Kift.  of  Music,  and  in  Reaa'a  Cyclopaedia. 
-*»Saxii  Onomast. 


\ 


"$M  MUSCULUS. 

t Which  he  accepted,  applied  himself  to  study,  and  became 
a  good  preacher*     He  embraced  Luther's  principles,  and 
so  strenuously  supported  them  upon  all  occasions,  as  to 
indu.ce  many  of  his  brethren  to.  forsake  the  order.     When 
this,   as  may  be  expected,  raised  him  enemies,  he  .made 
an  open  profession  of  Lutheranism,  fled  to  Strasburg  in  1527, 
and  the  same  year  married.     Having  now  no. provision 
whatever,  he  was  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  sending  his 
wife  to  service  in  a  clergyman's  family,  and  of  binding 
himself  apprentice  to  a  weaver,  who  dismissed  him  in  two 
months  for  discovering  part  of  that  zeal  which  had  already 
induced  him  to  make  so  many  sacrifices.    He  then  resolved 
•to  earn  his  bread  by  working  at  the  fortifications  of  Stras- 
burg ;  but,  the  evening  before  be  was  to  begin  this  drud- 
gery, he  was  informed  that  the  magistrates  had  appointed 
him  to  preach  every  Sunday  in  the  village  of  Dorlisheim. 
-Having  complied  wixh  this  offer,  he  lodged  during  the  rest 
.of  the  week  at  Strasburg  with  Martin  Bucer,  and  increased 
.his  poor  pittance  by  transcribing  the  works  of  that  reformer 
for  the  press.      Some  months  after,  when   this  resource 
.failed,  he  was  obliged  to  reside  at  Dorlisheim,  where  he 
continued  to  suffer  the  rigours  of  poverty  with  great  con- 
stancy.    His  only  moveable  was  the  little  bed  he  brought 
from  the  convent ;  which,  however,  was  soon  occupied  by 
.his  wife,  who  was  ready  to  lie-in.     At  this  time  be  lay  on 
ihe  ground  upon  a  little  straw,  and  must  have  perished 
through  want,  if  the  magistrates  .of  Strasburg  had.  not  at 
'length  assigned  him  a  sum  out  of  the  public  treasury. .   He 
Avas  then  invited  again  to  Strasburg,  as  officiating  deacon 
in  the  principal  church,  and,  after  be  had  acquitted  .him? 
self  in  this  character  for  about  two  years,  he  went  to  preach 
at  Augsburg  in  1531.  '  Here,  after  sustaining  many  con- 
troversies with  the  papists,  he  by  degrees  prevailed  upon 
the  magistrates  to  banish  popery  entirely,  which  was  finally 
accomplished,  in  1537.     Musculus  served  the. church  of 
Augsburg  till  1548;  when  Charles  V.  having  entered  th$ 
city,  and  re-established  popery  in  the  church  of  Notre 
Dame,  he  found  it  necessary  for  bis  safety  to  retire  to 
Switzerland,  his  wife  and  children  following  soon  after; 
and  was  invited  by  the  magistrates  of  Bern  in  1549  to  the 
professorship  of  divinity.     Here  he  was  so  successful  iu  his 
ministry  and  teaching,  and  so  kindly  treated,  that  he  never 
would  accept  of  any  other  situation,  though  several  were 
offered  l^im  elsewhere.    He  died  at  Bern,  Aug.  30, 1563. 


MUSCULUS.  6S§ 

His  talents  occasioned  him  to  be  employed  in  som$  very 
important  ecclesiastical  concerns :  he  was  deputed  by  th$ 
senate  of  Augsburg  in  1536,  to  the  synod  at  'Eysnach,  for 
the  re-union  of  the  protectants  upon  the  dtpctrine  of  the 
supper :  he  was  deputed  to  assist  at  the  conferences  which 
were  held  between  the  protestant  and  Roman  catholic  di- 
vines, during  the  diet  of  Worms,  and  £hat  of  Ratisbon,  in 
1540  and  1541  :  he  was  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the  con* 
ference  at  Ratisbon,  between  Melanctbon  and  Eccius,  and 
*  drew  up  the  acts  of  it :  and  he  was  sent  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Donawert,  who  emtftaced  the  reformation  in  1544,  to 
promote  that  design. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  application  and  deep  learning, 
and  a  considerable  roaster  of  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  lan- 
guages, although  he  was  at  the  least  thirty-two  when  be 
Began  to  study  the  latter,  and  forty  when  he  first  applied 
to  the  former.  He  published  several  books,  the  first  of 
which  were  translations  from  the  Greek  into  Latin,  par- 
ticularly the  "  Comment  of  Su  Chrysostom  upon  St.  Paul's 
Epistles  to  the  Romans,  Ephesians,  Philippians,  Colos- 
sians,  and  Tbessalofcians,"  printed  at  Basil  in  1536;  the 
second  volume  of  the  "  Works  of  St.  Basil ;"  the  "  Scholia 
of  the  same  father  upon  the  Psalms;"  several  " Treatises 
of  St.  Athan'asius  and  St.  Cyril ;"  and  the  "  Ecclesiastical 
History  of  Eusebius,  Socrates,  Sozomen,  Theodoret,  Eva- 
grius,  and  Polybius."  He  published  "  Comments  upon 
somd  parts  of  both  the  Old  and  New  Testament;"  and 
father  Simon  says,  that  "  he  was  acquainted  with  the  true 
way  of  explaining  the  Scriptures,  btft  bad  not  all  the  ne- 
cessary accomplishments  to  enable  him  to  succeed  per- 
fectly in  it,  because  he  was  not  sufficiently  exercised  in 
the  study,  of  the  languages  and  of  critical  leaping.  How- 
ever,9' he  adds,  "  Musculus  examines  the  ancient  Greek 
and  Latin  translations  without  prejudice;  and  he  has^hewn 
well  enough,  that  the  points  which  are  now  printed  in  the 
Hebrew  text,  were  not  used  at  the  time  of  the  Septuagint 
and  St.  Jerome."  He  was  the  author  of  some  original 
works,  both  rn  Latin  and  German,  particularly  his  "  Loci 
Communes,'.'  or  "  Common  Places,"  which;  with  other 
tracts  by  him,  were  published  in  English  during  the  reign 
of  queen  Elizabeth,  along  with  the  writings  of  the  principal 
foreign  reformers,  and  contributed. not  a  little  to  strengthen 
the  principles  of  the  reformation.  * 

1  MelchiorActain.— Gen,  DicU— -Be«e  Iconei,  fee. 


S40  «TD  $  G  R  A  V  I. 

MUSGRAVE  (Dr.  William),  an  English  pKysieiafi 
tfnd  antiquary,  was  descended  from  an  ancient  family  in 
Westmorland,  but  born  at  Charlton- Musgrave  in  Sooner* 
ftetsbire,  in  1657.  Being  educated,  ai  is  supposed,  at 
Winchester-school,  •  be  became,  in  1675,  a  probaaoner* 
fettow  of  New  college,  in  Oxford,  where  he  took  the  de- 
cree of  LL.  B*.  in  16S2;  but  afterwards  .studying  physic, 
distinguished  himself  greatly  by  his  knowledge  in  that  pro- 
fession and  in  natural  philosophy;  and  was  elected  fellow 
of  the  royal  society.  He  was  made  secretary  to  it  in  1684* 
id  which  quality  he  continued)  and  published  the  "  Philo- 
sophical Transactions/'  from  No.  167  to  178,  inclusive  ( 
and  several  curious  observations,  which  occurred  to  bitn  in 
the  course  of  his  profession,  he  caused  to  be  inserted,  aft 
different  times,  in  that  collection.  He  took  his  degrees 
in  physic  in  1685  and  1689,  and  was  afterwards  admitted 
fellow  6(  the  college  of  physicians  in  London.  In  1 69 1J 
be  went  and  settled  in  the  city  of  Exeter,  where  he  exer* 
cised  his  profession  a  long  time  with  great  reputation  and 
success.     He  died  Dec.  23,  1721. 

Being  a  man  of  very  extensive  learning,  be  composed,  at 
his  leisure-hours,  several  curious  works,  as,  1.  «'De  Arthri*- 
tide  symptomatica  Dissertatio,  1703,*'  8vo«  2.  "  De  Arthri- 
tic! e  anomala  sive  interna  Dissertatio,  1707,"  8vo.  Of 
these  two  books,  one  upon  the  regular,  the  other  upon  the 
irregular  or  inward  gout,  he  gave  an  account  in  the  "Phi* 
losophical  Transactions."  3.  "Julii  Vitalis  Epitapbinm; 
turn  Commentario,  1711,'*  8vb$  a  work  much  praised  by 
Mr.  Moyle.  4.  "  De  Legtonibus  Epistola."  This  letter 
concerning  the  Roman  legions  was  addressed  to  sir  Hans 
Sloane.  5.  "  De  Aqnills  Romanis  Epistola,  1713,"  8vo> 
addressed  to  Gisbert  Cuper,  consul  of  Deventer,  who  bad 
affirmed  that  the  Roman  eagles  were  of  massy  gold  or 
silver;  while  Musgrave  maintained,  that  they  were  only 
plated  over,  in  which  opinion  he  was  joined  by  Moyle.  6. 
"  Inscriptio  Terraconensis;  cum  Commentario."  7.  <5Geta 
Britannicus.  Accedit  Domus  Severianae  Synopsis  chro* 
nologica  ;  et  de  Icuncula  quondam  M.  Regis  iKlfridi  Dis- 
sertatio, 1715,"  8vo.  That  is,  "  Observations  upon  a 
fragment  of  an  equestrian  stone  Statue,  found  near  Bath, 
which  Musgrave  believes  to  have  been  set  up  in  honour  of 
Geta,  after  his  arrival  in  Britain  ;  together  with  a  ehronot 
logical  Synopsis  of  the  family  of  Severus ;  and  a  disserta* 
tion  upon  a  piece  of  Saxon  antiquity  found  at  Athelney  in 


M.UjSGR.A.Vg.  tfU 

SometatteMre,  htiog  king  Alfred  the  Great's  Amulet."  3» 
£'  Beigteas  Britannicum ;"  or,  "  An  account  of  tba^t  part  of 
South  Britain  which  was  anciently  inhabited  by  a  people 
called  Belgtt,  and  now  comprehends  Hampshire,  Wilt-* 
•hire,  and  Somersetshire,"  1719,  8yo»  To  this  work  if 
prefixed,  a  dissertation,  in  which  he  endeavours  to  prove 
that  Britain  was  formerly  a  peninsula,  -and  joined  to  France, 
about  Calais.  All  the  above  tract?  on  antiquities  were  pub* 
lished  together  at  Exeter,  in  1720,  4  vols.  8vo.  In  1.776 
a  posthumous  dissertation  of  bison  the  gout  was  published 
under  the  title  of  "  De  Artbritide  primogeuia  et  regutlari," 
3va  He  had  left  the  manuscript  to  his  son  William  Mua* 
grave,  M.  B.  by  whom  it  was  committed  to  the  press,  but 
he  dying  when  the  work  was  nearly  completed,  the  sheet* 
remained  in  the  warehouse  of  the  Clarendon  press  until 
the  above-mentioned  period,  when  it  was  published  by  the 
author's  grandson,  the  late  Dr.  Sam  U£i,  Mi*s grave,  of  Ex« 
eter,  a  gentleman  once  noted  (about  176.1)  £or  his  pm» 
tended  political  discoveries  respecting  the  private  history 
of  the  peace,  and  afterwards  as  a  Greek  scholar  and.  critic* 
He  studied  at  Leyden,  where  in  1762  he  published  "  Ex- 
ercitationum  in  Euripidem  Hbri  duo,"  8vo,  and  when  he 
took  his  degree,  "  Apologia  pro  medicioa  Empirica,'* 
1763,  4 to.  After  his  return  he  practised  physic  at  Exeter, 
and  bestowed  much  time  on  collating  various  MSS.  of  Eu- 
ripides, which  collations,  with  ^is  notes,  were  incorpo- 
rated in  an  edition  of  that  classic  printed  at  Oxford  iu 
1778,  4  vols.  8vo«  Dr.  Harwood  gives  a  very  unfavourable 
opinion  of  this  edition,  nor  has  it  been  in  general  much 
prized  by  foreign  critics.  Dr.  Musgrave  died  July  3, 1782* 
greatly  reduced  in  circumstances,  and  after  his  death  was 
edited  by  Mr.  Tyrwhitt*  for  the  benefit  of  his  family* 
*'  Two  Dissertations,"  on  the  Grecian  mythology,  and  the 
chronology  of  the  Olympiads. 1 

MUSIS.  See  VENEZIANO. 
-•  MUSSATO  (Albertin),  an  ItoUaft  historian  and  paet, 
was  born  at  Padua:  in  1261,  When  young  he  lost  h*s  fat 
ther,  and  was  left  with  a  numerous  family  of  brothers  and 
sisters,  whom  he  at  first  endeavoured  .to  maintain  by  copy-* 
ing  books  for  the  scholars  of  the  university.  He  was  also 
permitted  to  attend  the  lectures  there,  and  made  very  const* 

1  Biog.  Brit. — Ath.  Ox.  vol,  II.— Gent,  Mag,  see  Iodex. —Nichols's  Bowyer, 
toLVIU.  p.  119. 


542    *  MUSSATO. 

derable  progress  in  belles  lettres  and  the  law.  The  latter  be 
chose  as  the  profession  most  likely  to -enable  him  to  main- 
tain his  family,  nor  was  he  disappointed ;  and  the  very 
great  ability  he  displayed  at  other  times  occasioned  bis 
being  employed  in  political  affairs.  His  talents  in  this 
respect  were  first  called  forth  when  Henry  VII.  made  a 
descent  on  Italy ;  on  which  event  he  was  five  times  sent 
by  the  Paduans  to  that  prince,  who  conceived  a  very 'high 
opinion  of  him.  In  his  history  we  find  the  speeches  he 
ma'le  to  Henry,  and  those  he  addressed  to  the  senate  of 
Padua.  He  also'  distinguished  himself  in  the  war  which 
the  Paduans  carried  on  against  Can  Gran4e  de  la  Scala, 
and  when  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  in  1314,  Can  Grande 
paid  bim  the  attention  due  to  his  merit;  and  restored  him 
to  liberty.  The  war  raging  more  furiously,  Mussato  went 
first  to  Tuscany  to  negociate  an.  alliance  with  the  Tuscans 
and  Paduaps  against  Can  Grande,  but  not  succeeding, 
went  next  to  Austria  and  Carinthia,  where  he  partially 
achieved  his  purpose,  and  at  last,  in  1324,  bad  tbe  honour 
of  concluding  a  peace  between  Can  Gfande  and  his  country. 

Tbe  services,  however,  which  he  performed  to  Padua, 
were  not  always  sufficient  to  protect  him  against  tbe  in- 
trigues of  bis  countrymen,  who,  livifig  under  a  popular^ 
government,  were  always  exposed  to  commotions  excited 
by  the  artful  and  ambitious ;  and  in  1314,  particularly*,  tbe 
mob  rushed  to  his  house,  intending  to  murder  bim.  He 
bad  the  good  fortune  to  escape,  and  when  the  commotion 
was  ended  and  the  ringleaders  put  to  death,  the  senate 
and  people  recalled  bim,  and,  ashamed  of  the. treatment 
he  had  received,  bestowed  many  honours  upon  him.  He 
was  again,  however,  exposed  to  danger  by  the  ingratitude 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  banished  to  Cbiozzo  in  1325. 
Here  he  passed  the  rest  of  bis  life,  in  hopes  of  better  for- 
tune, which  it  was  not  his  lot  to  experience.  He  died  May 
29,  1330. 

During  his  exile  he  employed  bis  time  in  writing  bis 
history,  which  was  printed  at  Venice,  1636,  fol.  under  tbe 
title  >"  Historia  Augusta  Henrici  VII.  Imp.  et  alia  quae  ex- 
tant opera,'  cum  notis  Laur.  Pignorii,  &c.  additis  ajiis  re- 
rum  Tarvisianarum  et  Patavinarum  scriptdribus."  This 
history  is  written  in  Latin,  and  with  much  -  judgment 
and  regard  to  truth.  Had  his  style  been  equal,  he  would 
have  deserved  the  appellation  which  some  bestowed  upon 
him,  that  of  being  the  second  Livy  of  Padua,    Of  this 


I 

I 


m  u  s  Sato.  54$ 

-history,  there  are  three  books  written  in  heroic  verse, 
on  the  subject  of  the  siege  of  Padua. :  His  prose  style, 
although,  as  we  have  just  hinted,  not  •  unexceptionable  on 
the  score  of  purity,  was  yet  the  best  that  had  appeared 
since  the  decline  of  letters  ;  and  Scipio  Maffei  goes  so  far 
as  to  say  that  the  restoration  of  the  purity  of  the  Latin 
language  was  not  so  much  owing  to  Petrarch,  which  is  the 
general  opinion,  as  to  Mussato,  who  died  thirty-five  years 
before  Petrarch.  Mussato's  poetical  works  consist  of 
eclogues,  elegies,  epistles  in  verse,  and  an  Ovidian  Cento. 
He  also  wrote  two  tragedies  in  Latin,  the  first  that  had 
appeared  in  Italy,  the  one  entitled  "  Eccerinis,"  the  other 
"  Achilles."  In  these  he  imitates  the  manner  of  Seneca, 
and  with  success,  but  some  critics  object  to  the  model. 
They  are,  with  his  other  works,  reprinted  in  the  "Thesau- 
rus Histor.  Ital."  vol. VI. part II.  Muratori,  in  his  "Script. 
Rer.Ital."  vol.  X.  has  given  only  his  historical  writings,  and 
the  tragedy  of  "  Eccerinis."  Scardonius,  in  his  "Anti- 
quities of  Padua,"  p.  130,  relates  that  Mussato  was  so 
highly  •  honoured,  that  the  bishop  of  Padua  gave  him  a 
laurel  crown,  and  issued  ad  edict,  that  on  every  Christmas 
Day,  the  doctors,  regents,  and  professors  of  the  two  col- 
leges in  that  city,,  should  go  to  his  house  in  solemn  pro- 
cession with  wax  tapers  in  their  hands,  and  offer  him  a 
triple  crown— honours  which  he  appears  to  have  weil 
merited,  both  as  a  scholar  and  patriot. 1 

MUSSCHENBROECK  (Peter  de),  an  eminent  ma- 
thematician and  natural  philosopher,  was  born  at  Leyden  in 
1692.  He  appears. first  to  have  studied  medicine,  as  he 
took  bis  doctor's  degree  in  that  faculty  in  1715,  but  na- 
tural philosophy  afterwards  occupied  most  of  his  attention. 
After  visiting  London,  where  he  became  acquainted  with 
Newton  and  Desaguliers,  probably  about  1734,  when. he 
was  chosen  a  fellow  of  the  royal  society,  be  returned  home, 
and  was  appointed  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural 
philosophy  at  Utrecht,  which  he  rendered  as  celebrated  for 
those  sciences  as  it  had  long:  been  for  law  studies.  He  was 
afterwards  placed  in  the  same  chair  at  Leyden,  and  ob- 
tained great  and  deserved  reputation  throughput  all  Eu- 
rope. Besides  being  elected  a  member  of  the  Paris  aca- 
demy and  other  learned  bpdies, .  the  kings  of  England, 


i  f  iraboschi.— Ginguci^  Hist.  Lit.  d'  Italic. «~Warton's  Eisay  on  Pope,Tol.  U 
p.  184. — Moreru— Saxii  Onomast, 


\ 


MUSSCHEKBROECK. 

Prussia*,  and  benmark,  made  hiifi  tempting  offers  to  reside 
in  their  dominions ;  but  he  preferred  his  native  place,  where 
he  died  in  1761.  He  published  several  works  in  Latin,  all 
of  them' demonstrating  his  great  penetration  and  accuracy : 
1 .  "  Disputatio  de  Aeris  praesentia  in  humoribus  anima- 
libusj"  Leyd.  1715,  4to.  2.  "  Epitome  Elementorum  Phy* 
fcico-mathematicorum,"  ib.  1729,  4to.  3.  "  Physics,  ex* 
perimentales,.'  et  ^feometricas  Dissertationes  :  ut  et  Ephe- 
merides  meteorologies  Utrajectenses,"  ibid.  1729,  4to.  4. 
"  Tentamina  Experimentorum  naturaliom,  in  academia  del 
Cimento,  ex  Ital.  in  Lat.  copvetea,"  ibid.  1731*  4to,  5. 
*  Elementa  Physicse,'*  1734, 8vo,  translated  into  English  by 
Colson,  1744,  2  vols.  8v0.  His  <(  Introduction  to  Natural 
Philosophy,*"  which  he  began  to  print  in  1760,  was  com* 
pleted  and  published  at  Ley  den  in  1762  by  M.  Lulofs,  after 
the  death  of  the  author.  There  is  a  French  translation,  of 
Paris,  1769,  3  vols.  4to.  Musscbeabroeck  is  also  the 
author  of  several  papers,  chiefly  on  meteorology,  printed 
in  the  volumes  of  the  "  Memoirs  of  the  -  Academy  of 
Sciences"  for  1734,  1735,  1736,  1753,  1756,  and  1760.1 

MUSURUS  (Marcus),  one  of  the  revivers  of  literature, 
was  a  native  of  Candia,  and  came  to  Italy  about  the  be- 
ginning of  the  sixteenth  century,  where  he  understood 
that  encouragement  would  be  given  to  men  of  ability  in 
the  languages  and  grammatical  studies.  lifter  exhibiting 
proofs  of  his  talents  at  Venice,  the  senate' appointed  him 
to  teach  publicly  at  Padua  in  1503,  and  a  great  concourse 
6f.  scholars  gathered  around  him,  until  his  labours  were 
interrupted  by  the  war.  He  had  been  the  disciple  of  Las- 
Caris,  who  recommended  him  to  the  notice  of  Leo  X. ;  and 
that  pontiff  addressed  a  letter  to  him  when  he  was  at  Ve* 
nice  in  1513,  requesting  that  he  would  invite  from  Greece 
ten  young  men,  of  education  and  virtuous  disposition,  who 
might  instruct  the  Italians  in  the  proper  use  and  knowledge 
of  <the  Greek  language.  This  establishment  accordingly 
was  formed,  and  Lascaris  was  placed  at  the  head  of  it.  At 
this  time'  Musurus  was  finishing  the  first  edition  of  the 
works  of  Plato,  in  Greek,  which  was  printed  by  Aldus  in 
1513.  To  this  edition  Musurus  prefixed  some  Greek 
verses  that  have  been  much  admired,  and  published  se* 
parately,  by  Muncker,  .Amsterdam,  1676,  4to,  by  our 
Foster,  in  bis  ingenious  work  on  the  Greek  accents  (see 

i  Diet.  Hist 


MtJ-SURUS.  54$ 

Foster),  and  more  recently  at  Cambridge,  by  Samuel 
Butler,  A.  B.  1797.  It  is  also  reprinted  in  Mr.  Roscoevs 
V  Leo  X."  with  an  elegant  English  translation. 

Leo  was  so  pleased  with  these  verses,  and  the  services 
Musurus  had  rendered  to  literature,  as  to  confer  upon  him 
the  bishopric  of  Malvasia,  in  the  Morea,x  about  a.  year 
before  his  death,  which  happened  at  Rome  io  the  autumn 
of  1517.  Besides  bis  Plato,  the  learned  world  is  indebted 
to  him  for  the  first  editions  of  Aristophanes  and  Athenaeus. 
The  Aristophanes  was  published  at  Venice  in  1498,  fol. 
The  Athenaeus,  a  far  less  correct  work,  and  perhaps  the 
most  incorrect  princeps  editio,  was  published  in  1514,  foL 
at  Venice. l 

MUT1S  (Joseph  Celestine),  a  learned  Spanish  phy- 
sician, divine,  and  botanist,  was  born  at  Cadiz  in  1734. 
He  studied  medicine  at  his  native  place  and  at  Seville,  and 

-  having  obtained  much  reputation,  was  appointed  professor 
of  anatomy  at  Madrid,  where  he  signalized  himself  by  his 
physiological  knowledge.  In  1760  the  marquis  della  Vega, 
being  appointed  viceroy  of  New  Granada,  solicited  Mutis 

i  to  accompany  him  as  his  physician.  .  On  bis  arrival  at 
Santa  F6  de  Bogota,  the  capital  of  New  Granada,  Mutis, 
by  permission  of  the  viceroy,  undertook  to  introduce  the 
mathematics  as  a  branch  of  study  in  the  university,  and  his 
lectures  on  that  subject  were  beard  with  attention  and  ad- 
miration, and  he  was  at  length,  by  the  authority  of  the 
Spanish  government,  established  professor  of  philosophy, 
mathematics,  and  natural  history,  at  Santa  F6.  While 
enjoying  this  post,  some  unfortunate  speculations  in  tfce 
mines,  which  exhausted  his  pecuniary  resources,  occa- 
sioned his  taking  orders  in  the  church,,  and  his  clerical 
duties  now  shared  a  considerable  portion  of  his  time.  Part 
of  it  likewise  was  employed  in  botanical  researches,  and 
he  corresponded  with  Linnaeus,  to  whom  he  sent  numerous 
specimens  |of  his  own  discovery,  particularly  the  Mufisia, 
so  named  in  honour  of  him.  by  Linnaeus.  .In  1776  he 
settled  at  Sapo,  in  the  government  of  Mariquita,  where  he 
had  many  enviable  opportunities  of  discovering  and  col- 
lecting singular  plants  and  Bowers.  In  1778  don  Antonio 
Caballeroy  Gorgora,  the  new  archbishop,  on  his  arrival  at 
Santa  F£,  discovered  the  superior  merits  of  Mutis,  and 

*  Gen.  Diet. — Hutlart's  Academie  des  Sciences.— Roscoe's  Leo.—  Hody  de 
Gracis  illustribus.— Saxii  Ooomast. 

Vol.  XXIL  Nn 


«4«  MCT18, 

determined  to  extricate  bim  from  bis  difficulties,  sad  pckv 
tar*  huji  -a  pension,  with  the  appointment  of  botanist  and 
astronomer  to  the  king.  Accordingly,  under  tbewatro- 
tmge  of  tbis  .liberal  prelate,  be  became  the  superbiteadaDt 
of «  botanical  school  for  investigating  the  pleats  of  America. 
ifi  1763,  Attended  by  gone  of  im  pupils,  aod  several 
(dtreugbtswien,  be  made  o  tear  through  die  kingdom  of  New 
Cfranedu;  and  by  fats  diligence  inuch  new  light  was  threw** 
npevi  the  hitftory  of  the  Peruvian  bark,  and  its  various 
species.  He  obo  taught  Us  countrymen  tbe  ookureawd 
•be  value  «f  indigo.  His  health  having  suffered  from  the 
elimate  of  Ma^qatta,  be  was  directed  to  repair  to  Santa 
F£,  and  to  fix  on  some  of  his  pupils,  whose5  youth  aad 
twwtitutions  might  be  none  adequate  to  such  labours.  In 
t?31  be  bad*n  opportunity  to  wsit  Paris.,  to  consult  with 
Jus  sieu,  and  tbe  other  emi nent  botanists  of  that  capital, 
tioneerning  tbe  compositieu  of  a,  u  Flora  Bogoterisis,"  and 
«o  make  himself  nMSfcer  of  all  tbe  new  unprowements  «ad 
Awctiverie*.  He  remained  at  Paris  till  1801,  wben  be  went 
sjffcJt  to  Madrid.  Whether  he  subsequently  returned  *o 
Ins  native  country,  we  know  not,  but  in  1&04  he  was  ap*. 
pointed  to  the  professorship  <of  Botany,  and  supbrinrternji- 
wnce  of  the  royal  garden  at  Madrid.  Although  his  ad* 
wanting  age  tnade  repose  now  in  some  measure  necessary* 
be  commoed  to  be  serviceable  to  the  govcnrnsseivt  of  Ms 
native  coetftry,  and  to  the  prosperity  of  that  in  which  be 
rhad  so  loftyg  been  naturalised.  He  lived  to  an  ^advanced 
tage,  'but  of  tbe  precise  dale  ot  his  death  we  are  oat 
informed.* 

MYDOROE  (Claude),  am  able  ao^ematicjaii,  was 
feorn  at  Paris  in  1585,  and  was  educated  to  the  law.  He 
t>ec*ame  counsellor  to  she  Chatelet,  and  afterwards  trea- 
surer  of  franco  m  tbe  generality  of  Amiens,  bat  was  toe 
<snueb  attached  to.  mathematical  pursuits,  and  muster  of  too 
atnpAe  a  fortune,  to  pursue  bis  profession  as  a  source  of 
emolument.  He  was  tbe  friend  and  acquaintance  <of  Das 
'Cartes,  and  entered  into  a  vindication  of  bun,  in  tbe  dis-» 
pute  which  he  bad  with  M.  Stomal,  and  was  afterwards  -a 
mediator  of  Che  peace  which  was  made  between  these 
learned  men  in  1 698,  in  the  same  year  MydoTge  published 
a  Latin  treatise  "On  Oonic  Sections,"  in  four  books, 
which  Mersenne  has  inserted  in  his  "Abridgment  of  Uni- 

1  Sims  and  Konig's  Annals  of  BuUny, — foes'*  Cyclopaedia  by  sir 'B.  J.'Sjitth. 


M  Y  D  O  R  ,G  E.  £4.7 

versal  Geometry."  In  1642,  be  and  Des  Cartes  received 
an  invitation  from  sir  Charles  Cavendish  to  settle  in  Eng- 
land, which  he  declined,  on  the  approach  of  the  rebellion. 
He  died  at  Paris  in  1647,  in  the  sixty-third  year  of  his 
age.  He  was  a  practical  mechanic,  as  well  as  an  able  ma- 
thematician, and  spent  more  than  a  thousand  crpwns  on 
the  fabrication  of  glasses  for  telescopes,  burning  mirrors, 
mechanical  engines,  and  mathematical  instruments. ' 

MYLNE  (Robert))  an  eminent  architect,  to  whose  me- 
mory Black  Friars  Bridge  will  be  a  lasting  monument,  was 
born  at  Edinburgh,  Jan.  4,  1734.  His  father,  Thomas 
Mylne,  waus  an  architect,  and  a  magistrate  of  that  city; 
and  his  family,  it  has  been  ascertained,  held  the  office  of 
master-masons  to  the  kings  of  Scotland  for  five  hundred 
years,  till  the  union  of  the  crpwns  of  England  and  Scotland, 
Mr.  Mylne  was  educated  at  Edinburgh,  and  travelled  early 
in  life  for  improvement  in  his  hereditary  science.  At 
Borne  be  resided  five  years,  and  in  September  1758,  gained 
the  first  prize  in  the  first  class  of  architecture,  adjudged  by 
the  academy  of  St.  Luke,  and  was  also  unanimously  elected 
a  member  of  that  body.  On  this  occasion  prince  Altieri, 
distinguished  for  his  knowledge  of  the  fine  arts,  obtained 
from  the  pope  the  necessary  dispensation,  Mr.  Mylne 
being  a  protestant.  He  was  also  elected  a  member  of  the 
academies  of  Florence  and  Bologna.  He  visited  Naples, 
and  viewed  the  interior  of  Sicily  with  an  accuracy  never 
before  employed  ;  and  from  bis  skill  in  his  profession,  and 
bis  classical  knowledge,  was.  enabled  to  illustrate  several 
very  obscure  passages  in  Vitjruvius.  His  fine  collection  of 
drawings,  with  bis  account  of  this  tour,  which  he  began  to 
arrange  for  publication  in  1774,  but  was  interrupted  by 
his  numerous  professional  engagements,  are  still  in  the 
possession  of  his  son,  and  will,  it  is  hoped,  at  no  very 
distant  period,  be  given  to  the  public.  He  was  often 
heard  to  remark  in  his  latter  days,  that  in  most  of  his  obser- 
vations and  drawings,  he  bad  neither  been  anticipated  by 
those  who  traversed  the  ground  before  him,  nor  followed 
by  those  who  came  after  him. 

After  inaking  a  complete  tour  of  Europe,  which  be  began 
by  ^oing  through  France,  aad  finished  by  returning  through 
Switzerland  and  Holland,  be  arrived  in  London,  wittevery 
possible  testimonial  of  his  talents,  but  without  a  friend 

1  Moreri. 

'      *N  2 


5*8  Hi  YL  N  E. 

or  patron.  At  this  time  plans  were  requested  by  the  city 
of  London  for  constructing  a  bridge  at  Black  Friars,  and 
Mr.  Mylne,  among  twenty  others,  became  a  candidate.  It 
was' well  known  that  one  of  his  rivals  was  befriended  by 
lord  Bute,  who  had  then  great  influence,  but  Mr.  Mylne 
succeeded  by  the  impartial  verdict  of  the  judges  appointed 
to  examine  the  respective  plans;  and  the  first  stone  was  laid 
in  1761,  with  a  pomp  becoming  the  vast  undertaking.  A 
writer  of  no  common  talents,  in  the  supplement  to  the 
"  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,"  after  a  very  olose  examina- 
tion of  the  details  of  this  structure,  pronounces  it  to  be  the 
most  perfect  of  any  that  is  upon  record,  and  at  large  points 
out  the  great  superiority  of  the  centering  employed  by 
Mr.  Mylne.  The  learned  author  seems,  however,  "to  sup- 
pose that  this  ingenious  architect  made  a  secret  of  his 
mode  of  centering  ;  but  few  men  had  a  more  liberal  spirit, 
or  more  aversion  to  professional  quackery  of  every  kind, 
and  therefore,  he  deposited  in  the  British  Museum,  an  ex- 
act model  of  the  centering  employed  at  Blackfriars  bridge, 
which  gives  a  most  precise  and  satisfactory  idea  of  the  work. 

When  the  bridge  was  first  proposed,  Mr.  Mylne  engaged 
in  a  short  controversy  with  Dr.  Johnson,  on  the  form  of 
the  arch ;  but  they  were  afterwards  intimate  friends,  and 
in  conversation  agreed  in  a  certain  sturdy,  independence 
of  mind  which  perhaps  cemented  that  friendship.  It  is 
much  to  the  honour  of  Mr.  Mylne's  accuracy,  as  well  as 
integrity,  that  Blackfriars-bridge  was  completed  in  1765, 
for  the  exact  sum  specified  in  his  estimate,  namely,  one 
hundred  and  fifty-three  thousand  pounds.  On  his  propo- 
sals being  accepted,  the  city  committee,  in  February  1760, 
voted  him  an  annual  salary  of  three  hundred  pounds;  and 
his  farther  remuneration  was  to  be  five  per  cent,  on  the 
money  laid  out  on  the'  bridge.  To  obtain  this,  however, 
he  hud  a  long  struggle  with  the  city,  which  he  maintained 
with  his  characteristic  firmness  and  spirit ;  and,  in  answer 
to  a  question  several  times  put  to  him,  with  no  great  deli- 
cacy, uniformly  declared,  that  what  he  claimed,  he 
claimed  as  a  matter  of  right,  and  not  of  favour.  At 
length,  but  not  until  1776,  his  claims  were  allowed;  on 
which  occasion  he  sent  to  the  corporation  a  letter  of 
thanks. 

Immediately  after  completing  the  bridge,  he  was  ap- 
pointed surveyor  of  St.  Paul's  cathedral,  by  the  archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  the  bishop  of  London,  and, the  lord-mayor; 


M-  Y  L  N  E.-  549 

and  not  Qnly  directed  the  repairs  that  have  been  found  ne- 
cessary in  that,  noble  fabrick,  but  those  temporary  erec- 
tions required  by  the  anniversaries  of  the  sons  of  the  clergy, 
and  that  most  interesting  spectacle,  the  annual  assemblage 
of  the. charity-children  of  the  metropolis,  as  well  as  those 
more  elegant  preparations  made  for  the  visits  of  the  royal 
family  and  the  two  houses  of  parliament  in  1789,  1797, 
&c.  &c.  It  was  by  his  suggestion  that  the  noble  inscrip- 
tion in  honour  of  sir  Christopher  Wren,  ending,  "Si 
monumentum  requiras,"  &c.  was  placed  over  the  entrance 
of  the  choir.  Among  the  other  edifices  which  Mr.  Mylue 
ejected,  or  was  concerned  in  the  repairs,  we  may  enu- 
merate Rochester  cathedra),  Greenwich  hospital,  of  which 
he  was  clerk  of  the  works  for  fifteen  years ;  Kings- Weston*, 
the  seat  of  lord  De  Clifford ;  Blaze  castle,  near  Bristol ; 
Addington,  the  $eat  of  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury; 
Wormlybury,  sir  Abraham  Hume's ;  Lying-in>hospital, 
City-road  ;  the  duke  of  Northumberland's  pavillion,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Thames  at  Sion;  general  Skene's  house,  in 
Fifeshire;  lord  Frederic  Campbell's  at  Ardincaple;  In- 
verary  castle,  the  duke  of  Argyle's;  the  embankment  at 
the  Temple  gardens,  &c.  &c.  He  was  also  consulted  on 
almost  all  the  harbours  in  England.  Mr.  Milne  died,  May 
5,  1 8 1 1 ,  at  the  New  River  Head,  where  be  had*  long  re- 
sided, as  engineer  to  that  company ;  an  office  to  which 
be  was  appointed  in  1762.  He  was  interred,  by  his  own 
desire,  in,  St.  Paul's  cathedral,  near  the  tomb  of  his  illus- 
trious predecessor,  Wren. . 

tMr.  Mylne  was  a  man  of  most  extensive  professional 
knowledge,  and  while  his  Blackfriars  bridge,  and  many 
other  structures  shewed  him  an  excellent  practical  builder, 
he  was  no  less  acute  and  eloquent  on  the  theory  of  his 
art.  His  conversation,  always  entertaining  and  edifying, 
assumed  a  higher  tone,  when  he  was  invited  to  speak  on 
architectural  subjects,  the  history  of  the  Grecian  or  Gothic 

*  Mr.  Mylue  made  some  very  great  In  the  bouse,  to  which  there  was  no 
alterations  and  improvements  a^K'ngs-  means  of  access,  and  on  catting  into 
Weston  for  the  late  lord  De  Clifford,  *it  they  found,  to  their  great  astonish- 
then  Mr.  Southwell,  who  knew  him  at  ment,  a  quantity  of  old  family  plate, 
Rome,  and,  from  his  bridge  at  Black-  together  with  the  records  of  a  barony 
friars,  conceived  a  very  high  idea  of  granted  in  the  reign  of  Henry  III.  to 
his  talents.  Concerning  this  seat,  Mr.  that  family,  in  consequence  of  which 
Mylne's  clerk  used  to  relate  the  follow-  Mr.  Sou. h we  11  took  the  title  of  lord  De 
ing  anecdote.  On  Mr.  Mylne's  arri-  Clifford.  This  room  was  probably  shut 
val  there  he  commenced  making  a  plan,  up  during  the  rebellion  in  the  reign  of 
by  which  he  discovered  a  small  room  Charles  I. 


1  * 
r 


*  V 


550  M  T  L  N  t. 

styles,  or  any  disputed  point  respecting  the  origin  of  the 
art.  On  such,  almost  to  the  latest  hour  of  his  life,  we 
have  beard  him  dilate  with  a  precision  and  copious  flow 
of  reasoning,  that  would  have  been  astonishing  in  the  ablest 
men  in  the  prime  of  life.  His  personal  character  is  said 
to  have  had  some  peculiarities.  Such  as  we  have  observed 
seemed  to  arise  from  a  consciousness  of  superior  talent, 
and  a  lofty, independence  of  spirit.  Placed  often  at  the 
head  of  a  tribe  of  inferior  workmen,  of  contending  inte- 
rests and  passions,  his  orders  were  peremptory,  and  were 
to  be  obeyed  without  a  murmur;  while  he  could  yet  listen 
with  patience,  if  an  objection  was  started  on'  reasonable 
grounds.  What  he  most  disliked  was  that  adherence  to 
custom  and  practice  which  made  every  improvement  be 
considered  as  a  dangerous,  impracticable,  or  inconvenient 
innovation.  Against  this  he  bent  the  whole  force  of  his 
authority,  and  always  endeavoured  to  introduce  a  more 
liberal  spirit.  The  common  workmen,  who  looked  up  to 
htm  with  some  degree  of  terror,  and  whom  he  certainly 
did  not  always  address  in  the  gentlest  terms,  were  amply 
recompensed  by  the  care  be  took  that,  whoever  were  his 
employers,  these  humble  artisans  should  be  paid  their 
wages  with  the  utmost  punctuality.  Dearly  as  he  loved  his 
profession,  he  was  not  avaricious  of  its  emoluments,  and 
after  all  his  distinguished  employments,  he  did  not  die 
rich. 

In  1 770,  Mr.  Mylne  married  miss  Mary  Home,  sister  of 
Mr.  Home,  the  surgeon,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children.  Of 
these  one  son,  bis  successor  as  engineer  of  the  New  River 
Company,  and  four  daughters,  now  survive  him.1 

*  Nichols's  $owyer— -  and  from  personal  knowledge. 


i|i|iili  |i|     yrn^m 


INDEX 


TO-  THE 


TWENTY-SECOND    VOLUME. 


Those  marked  thus  *  are  new. 
Those  marked  t  are  re- written,  with  additions. 


Page 

tiVlEDici,  Cosmo  de 1 

t  — »-  Lorenzo S 

♦Medina,  sir  John 7 

♦Meerman,  Grrard 8 

Mehegan,  Will,  Alex 9 

Meibomius,  John  Henry. ...  10 
Henry ib. 

t Marcus  ......  11 

Meier,  George  Frederic  ....  13 
Mela,  Pomponius ib. 

fMelancthon,  Philip 14 

Meleager 22 

Melctras 23 

♦Melissus . . . .  " 24 

Melito. . , ib. 

Mellan,  Claude 25 

Melmoth,  William,  sen 26 

* : jun 27 

*Melozzo,  Francis 29 

Melvil,  sir  James 30 

*Memnon ; 32 

Menage,  Giles 33 

fMenander 37 

Menandrino,  Marsilio 39 

Menard,  Claude 40 

*    ■  ■     ■  Nich.  Hugues 41 

Leo ib. 

♦Menasseh,  Ben  Israel. .....  42 

Mencke,  Otto 43 

1    ■  John  Burcard 44 

♦Mendelsohn,  Moses  45 

Mendoza,  Gonzales  Peter  de  47 


Pag« 

Mendoza,  John  Gonzales ...  47 

Menedemus 48,  49 

Menestrier,  J.  B.  le 49 

Claude  Francis. .  ib. 

♦Mengoli,  Peter 50 

Mengs,  Ant.  Raphael ib. 

Meninski,  F 52 

Menippus 54 

♦Mennes,  or  Mennis,  sir  John  55 

♦Menno,  Simon 56 

♦Menochius,  James 57 

* ■-; —  John  Stephen   ib. 

MejQzikoff,  Alexander ib. 

Menzini,  Benedict 60 

♦Mereati,  Michaol 61 

fMercator,  Gerard 63 

* Marius ib. 

•j. Nicholas ib. 

♦Mercer,  James 65 

♦Mercier,  Barth 67 

—  John  Le 69 

fMercurialis,  Jerome ib. 

♦Merian,  John  Bernard  ....  71 

Maria  Sibylla 72 

Merlin,  Ambrose  ; 73 

♦ —  James 74 

♦Merret,  Christopher 75 

fMerrick,  James ib. 

♦Merry,  Robert 79 

Mersenne,  Marin 81 

♦Merton,  Walter  de 83 

tMerula,  George 86 


4. 


552 


I.N  D  EX. 


Page 

Merula,  Paul 87 

Me&enguy,  Francis  Philip . .  ib. 

Meston,  William 88 

Metastasip,  Peter 90 

Meteren,  Emanuel  de 95 

Methodius 96 

*Metkerke,  Adolphus 97 

*Meto 98 

♦Metochita,  Theodore ib. 

*Metrophanes  Critopylus  . . .  ib. 

Mettrie,  Julian  de  la 99 

Metzu,  Gabriel 100 

*Meulen,  Ant.  Fr.  Vander  . .  ib. 
*Meun,  or  Meung,  John  de  101 

Meursius,  John 102 

*Mexia,  Peter 103 

Meyer,  James 104 

* Jeremiah ib. 

Mezerai,  F.  Eudes  de  . .  . .  105 
f  Meziriac,  Claude  Gaspar  Ba- 

chet,  sieur  de 109 

-fMichaelis,  John  David. ...  110 

* John  Henry 115 

♦Micheli,  P.  A 116 

fMickle,  W.  Julius 118 

Micrelius,  John 131 

Middleton,  Conyers ......  131 

sir  Hugh 145 

Miel,  Jan 147 

Mieris,  Francis ib. 

-William  148 

fMignard,  Peter 149 

Mignon,  Abraham 150 

*Mignot,  Stephen ib. 

fMilbourne,  Luke 151 

*Mildmay,  sir  Walter 159 

Mill,  Henry 154 

f John 155 

*iMillar,  John 159 

fMiller,  James 161 

j Philip 163 

* Thomas 165 

* Edward 167 

*Milles,  Jeremiah ........  168 

Millot,  C.  F.  Xavier .169 

*Milner,  John 171 

* Joseph 173 

fMilton,  John 177 

-j-Mimnermus  J 194 

*Minderer,  Raymond ......  ib. 

Minellius,  John 195 


Page 

*Minot,  Laurence 195 

*Minucius  Felix,  Marcus  . .  196 

Mirabaud,  J.  B. ib. 

Hon.  G.  comte  de  197 

Mireus,  Aubertus 200 

Misson,  F.  Max ib. 

*MitchelJ,  sir  Andrew 201 

Joseph 203 

*Mittarelli,  J.  B 205 

Moine,  Francis  le 206 

Stephen  le ib. 

Peter  le ib. 

*Moket,  Richard 207 

fMola,  Peter  Francis 208 

Moles  worth,  Robert 209 

fMoliere,J.B % 212 

*Molieres,  Joseph  Privat  de  218 

♦Molina,  Lewis ib. 

fMolinet,  Claude  du 220 

fMolinos,  Michael ib. 

Molloy,  Charles 221 

* : —  Francis 222 

M*olyneux%  William ib.v 

Samuel .  .„  . . .  226 

fMolza,  F.  Maria 227 

f Tarquinia 228 

fMombritius,  Boninus ib. 

fMonantheuil,  Henry  de  . .  229 

fMonardes,  Nich 230 

*Monckton,  sir  Philip ib. 

* hon.  Robert. . .  231 

fMonconys,  Balth 232 

Moncrif,  F.  A.  Paradis  de. .  233 

Mongault,  Nich.  Hubert . . .  ib. 

Monk,  G.  duke  of  Albemarle  234 

f Mary 241 

*Monnier,  P.  C.  le ib. 

Monnoye,  Bernard  de  la . .  242 

fMonro,  Alexander 244 

* Donald 248> 

John ib. 

Monson,  sir  William 252 

*Monstrelet,  Enguerrand  de  255 

fMontague,  Charles 256 

f Kdward 260 

* John 264 

•f—         ■      Lady  Mary  Wort- 
ley 267 

f Edw.  Wortley. .  273 

* : Elizabeth 275 

-[Montaigne,  Michael  de  . .  278 


INDEX. 


553 


*Montalembert,  Mark  Rene* 

de.. 282 

Montarius,  Heretic 284 

| — .  Benedict  Arias. .  286 

—  John  Baptist . .  287 

tMontbeliafd,  P.  G 288 

f  Mdntecuctili;  Raymond  de  ib. 
fMome-ihayor,  George  de. .  289 
•f  Montesquieu,  Charles  baron 

of 290 

*Monteth,  Robert 297 

fMontfaucon,  Bernard  de. .  298 
fMontgeron,     Lewis    Basil 

Can  e*  de 303 

*Montgolfier,  S.  J 304 

*Montmort,  Pet.  Raymond  de  ib. 
*Montucla,  John  Stephen  . .  305 

*Moor,  Karel  de 307 

* Michael 308 

* Edward 310 

* John 314 

* Jjhn,  M.  D ;  315 

* r-  snr  John,  general . .  318 

t sir  Jonas 332 

Philip 334 


*Mopinot,  Simon 336 

fMorabin,  James ib. 

+Morales,  Ambrose  ........  ib. 

*Morand,  Sauveur  Francis. .  337 

* John  Fra.  Clement  338 

Morant,  Philip ib. 

Morata,  Olvmpia  Fulvia  . .  340 

*Moray,  or  Murray,  sir  Rob.  341 

Mordaunt,  Charles 344 

More,  Alexander 349 

■■  sir  Antonio 350 

■■  sir  Francis 351 

Dr.  Henry 352 

James 357 

t sir  Thomas 358 


*Moreau,  Jacob  Nich 381 

*Morels,  the  printers 383 

Andrew 384 

*Morell,  Thomas 385 

Moreri,  Lewis 387 

Mores,  Edward  Rowe 390 

fMorgagni,  John  Baptist  . .  395 
f  Mprhof,  Daniel  George  . .  397 

Morin,  John  Baptist 399 

■  John  of  Blois 401 

t Lewis 402 


Page 

fMorin,  Peter 405 

j Stephen 406 

fMorison,  Robert 407 

*Mbrland,  George 410 

* sir  Samuel 413 

*   Morky,  George 422i 

Mornay,  Philip  de .  . . 427 

*Morosini,  And 431 

*Morris,  Lewis ib. 

Mortimer,  John  Hamilton  432 

*Morton,  Charles 434 

* John,  Cardinal . .  435 

* —  Richard 440 

f Thomas ib. 

*Morysin,  Richard 448 

*Moryson,  Fines  .  . : 450 

Moschus  and  Biqn ib. 

*Moser,  George  Michael ...  451 
*  Moses  Chorenensis 453 

Mosheim,  J.  L ib. 

fMoss,  Robert 455 

'  * Charles,  son  &  grand- 
son  457 

*Mossom,  Robert 459 

fMothe  le  Vayer,  F.  de  la  . . .  ib. 
fMotte,  Ant.  H.  de  la 461 

Motteux,  Peter  Antony  .  . .  465 

Motteville,  Frances  B.  de  . .  ib. 

Mottley,  John 466 

fMoufet,  Thomas 468 

f  Moulin,  Charles  du 470 

Peter  du 475 

t Peter,  son 477 

•fMountague,  Richard  ....  478 

Mountfort,  William 484 

*Mounteney,  Richard 486 

fMourgues,  Michael 487 

Moyle,  Walter ib. 

Moyses,  David 490 

*Mozart,  J.  C.  W.  T ...  491 

*Mudge,  Thomas 493 

fMuis,  Simeon  de 500 

*Mulcaster,  Richard 501 

♦Muller,  Andrew 504 

* Gerard  Frederic  . .  ib. 

f John,  or  Regiomon-* 

tanus 506 

fMuncer,  Thomas 510 

Munday,  Antony 512 

fMundinus 514 

Munich,  Burchard  Christ. . .  ib. 


554 


INDEX. 


Page 

*Munoz,  Joha  Bapt. , 515 

Munster,  Sebast 516 

fMuratori;  Lewis  Ant 517 

Muretus,  Marc.  Ant. .....  520 

fMurfflio,  Bart,  ti* 523 

*Murphy,  Arthur \  . .  524 

Murray,  James 527 

William,   earl  of 

Mansfield 528 

fMusa,  Antonius 536 


Pag* 
fMusaeus 536 

Musculus,  Wolfgang  ......  537 

Musgrave,  William 540 

fMussato,  Albertin 541 

*Musschenbroeck,  Peter  de  543 

fMusurus,  Marcus 544 

♦Mutis,  Jos.  Ccel. 545 

*Mydorge,  C 546 

*Mylne,  Robert 547 


■ 

1 


END   OF  THE   TWENTY-SECOND   VOLUME. 


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